Hokuto no Ladies
by Kumo no Juuza
Summary: WARNING: this story contains graphic violence and mature content. It's a story about female users of a derived style of Hokuto Shinken, looking for their bloody revenge. They are women able to inflict pain...and pleasure! As much as I tried to come up with a compelling story, don't take it too seriously...expect tons of fan service, and also lots of gore! Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: Wanderer

Covered wagons kept advancing slowly through the desert in a single line, pulled by horses and mules. The only motor-powered vehicle in the convoy, a truck transporting food and water standing at the back of the line, also proceeded at a very slow pace: the reason was that, no matter the haste that such a perilous journey implied, a lot of people were actually following the convoy by foot. Only women, children and the elderly sat in the wagons: young men had to rely on their own strength and stamina.

Still, there was one woman who did not sat in a wagon.

She silently proceeded at the very back of the line, wearing black robes and a black hood to shield her eyes from wind and sand. The woman knew very well she wasn't welcomed among other women of the group: only men tolerated her, although ignoring her most of the time. Despite all of this, the woman advanced steadily under the morning sun, without showing any sign of fatigue or annoyance.

Suddenly, the convoy stopped.

After a couple of minutes, the chief of the group reached the men at the end of the line.

"Everything is fine!" he said "We are going to rest here for a bit! Sit down, eat and drink while you can, because we'll be resuming march within a hour! If the Gods assist us, we'll be all safe in the city by tonight!"

It's only natural, she thought. It's almost noon, and we've being marching since dawn.

People started getting off wagons and gathering around the truck.

"Everybody form a line!" the chief yelled "Wait for your turn for food and water! If anybody goes making any trouble, I'll personally kick his teeth in!"

It was no empty threat: the chief was a big man. So, about fifty people started forming a queue to the supplies truck.

Ten years had already passed since the war, the nuclear holocaust that killed millions and turned the world into a wasteland. Almost ten years since the rise and fall of Ken-Oh, the tyrant who conquered a great number of lands only to be defeated by the End of Century Savior. Since then, humanity had partially recovered from the disaster: some lands could now be cultivated once again, and many farms had appeared in the region. Also, money was now a thing: copper and silver coins were now of common use in many cities, including Bara, their destination.

But some farms were more productive than others: the people that were now traveling across the desert were originally from a village far in the South. They knew they would starve in the winter, had they not abandoned their homes: so, they ventured in the wastelands crawling with bandits.

The hooded woman didn't come from the same village, though: she just happened to be headed to a city close to Bara, Zaria, so she decided to travel with them: this allowed her to get her share of food and water, in exchange for putting her skills to good use.

"Mommy" cried a young girl standing in line next to her, around five years old "Mommy, I'm thirsty!"

"Be quiet!" harshly said the mother "Be a good girl now! We must wait for our turn!"

"Mommy, water! Give me water!"

The hooded woman pulled a canteen out from under her black robes, and offered it to the child.

"Here" she said, smiling kindly "Have some"

The little girl started to drink, but the mother abruptly pulled her back.

"You" she said, with a fierce look in her eyes "stay away from my daughter".

The hooded woman silently put the canteen away, without showing any sign of anger. She just patiently waited in line until she got food and water: after that, she walked a little afar from the crowd and sat on a rock by herself, calmly consuming her lunch.

She was used to that kind of behaviour: she was a prostitute after all.

 _Mh,no clients today_ , she thought. _Well, it's not like these guys have much money to spare._

Then, a girl approached her: she didn't look much older than fourteen.

"Are you a client?" the woman asked "I do women too, no problem, but you look a bit young for that. Sorry, but I'll have to pass. Come back in a couple of years"

The girl blushed vividly.

"N-no" she stuttered "It's nothing like that. I..."

She timidly smiled.

"I actually wanted to thank you. I'm that kid's older sister: you were kind to her. A person willing to share her water is not something you see everyday, not even when it comes to sharing it with little kids. I'm sorry about my mom"

The woman shrugged.

"Don't sweat it. I'm used to it. I won't be bothering your mom much longer anyway: I'll leave the group this afternoon and head for Zaria".

She would reach Zaria the following day: hopefully, her companions would already be waiting for her. She actually thought of them as sisters, although they were not related by blood: they were childhood friends raised under the same roof. They agreed the would meet in Zaria within six months. For six months, she had wandered the South aimlessly, frantically looking for a hint, a whisper about what she was searching for. The woman clenched her fists.

 _Six months, and I couldn't find anything,_ she thought. _Let's hope the others had better luck than me._

"Oh, you will be leaving then" the girl said "Too bad. Anyway, I'm Aiko. May I ask for your name?"

The hooded woman chuckled.

"No need to be so formal. I'm Saya"

At that very moment, the air was filled with a roaring sound.

Saya had no doubt about what it was, not even for a moment: that was the sound that any traveler ought to fear. Both her and Aiko turned their heads to the East: a group of raiders appeared from beyond the sand dunes, riding motorbikes.

"No way..." whispered Aiko, paralyzed by fear.

 _Fuck_ , thought Saya, immediately getting up.

"All men, grab a weapon!" the chief yelled "Form a line in front of the wagons! Don't get cold feet now, or we'll all die! We knew from the start this could happen!"

 _It's no use_ , Saya thought. _It will be a slaughter. Twenty men, who only ever held farming tools in their hands, against thirty raiders who have been killing for a living for years! They stand no chance!_

The first scream of pain filled the air: a villager fell to the ground, with a bolt piercing his neck. The bandits had crossbows, and they were able to aim and shoot from their motorbikes, without even needing to slow down.

Before men could even try to form a line, many other bolts were fired: people fell to the ground, men and women alike. The raiders were about to storm through the wagons, with battle axes in their hands, ready to cut down anyone in their path. Judging from their excited battle cries, they were really looking forward to the slaughter.

It was an instant.

Saya sprinted forward, intercepting two bolts aimed at an old woman with her fingers, and threw them back at the aggressors . Two bandits fell from the motorbikes: their lifeless bodies rolled about in the sand, with bolts sticking out from their eye sockets. Even in the mist of the raid, everybody saw that incredible scene.

The raiders stopped the attack.

They all were muscular, scary men, with shaved heads and the tattoo of a red scorpion on their left cheek: and yet, they were all staring at the hooded woman with awe and shock.

"The fuck..."

"...how did she..."

"...with her bare hands?"

People from the village were just as shocked, and could do nothing but watch silently: after all, they just saw the prostitute of the group display some superhuman feats.

The chief of the raiders came forward: he was so big, even his most muscular underlings looked scrawny in comparison.

"That was impressive" he said " There are no doubts you know martial arts. I wonder, who may you be?"

Saya took her hood off, revealing her face, and the bandits stood in awe in front of the most beautiful woman they had even seen: an Asian beauty in her twenties, with full lips and long black hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"I have no name to give to villains like you" she said "but if you value your life, leave this place at once: for the martial art I practice, is Hokuto Shinken".

Silence followed that statement. Anyone, bandits and travelers alike, had heard of that name.

 _Hokuto Shinken?_ Aiko thought. _The fist of the Savior? No way..._

Surprisingly enough, the silence was followed by laughter. The bandits acted like they just heard the best joke ever.

"Hokuto? The Fist of the North Star?" the chief of the raiders said "You have no idea how many times we heard that! Any man that knows a little bit of Kung fu is a Hokuto master these days! They try to scare us off, you see. But I, Garth, leader of the Red Scorpions, have killed them all with my war axe! Besides, everyone knows that the successor of Hokuto Shinken is a man, Kenshiro, the one who defeated Ken-Oh! While you are a woman: we can see that, am I right?"

His men answered him with excited cries: Saya could clearly see the lust in their eyes.

"I may be a woman, but I spoke the truth: while Kenshiro is the current heir to Hokuto Shinken, I also am a master of such art. And let me be very, very clear on this: I don't care if you believe me or not. If any of you comes at me with murderous intent, I'll show no mercy. The proof you seek will be your death"

Garth grinned.

"Enough with this bullshit: you killed two of my men, so you owe me. Luckily for you, you also happen to be a damn fine woman. You also got a nice body, I can tell even if you try to hide it under those ugly traveling robes. Normally the whole crew would rape you to death, but here's the deal: you become my woman. You'll be fucking me and no-one else, you understand? You'll behave and obey my every order. In exchange, I'll feed you. You'll be eating as well as my best men, at least until I get tired of you or find a better woman. At that point, one of my lieutenants can have you, and you'll be still eating decently. A nice deal, don't you think?"

Saya gave him a cold smile.

"I'll pass. I may be a prostitute, but I can't pleasure scum like you without demanding your life in exchange. If you still want to fuck me even after learning the price, I'll gladly show you the way to heaven before sending you to hell"

Garth clenched his teeth.

"Annoying bitch..."

He raised a hand.

"Men!" He yelled "Tear this dumb slut apart!"

Seven men dismounted from their motorbikes. They approached her, with axes in their hands and a sadistic grin on their faces.

Saya stared coldly at them. She stripped, revealing white, elegant clothes: more revealing, yet more suited to fighting.

One bandit charged at her: he raised his axe to deliver a deadly blow, with bloodshot eyes and saliva dripping from his chin. Saya reacted readily.

She hit him on the cheek with a circular kick, almost too fast for the human eye to see. She felt the cheekbone collapse against her leg, and saw teeth and blood fly off from the man's mouth. The bandit fell to the ground, still alive but badly hurt. His companions charged at her: one after another, they were all sent flying by quick, elegant kicks aimed at their faces or the side of their heads.

"Amazing!" uttered Aiko.

The seven men got up on their feet.

"The fuck?" a bandit uttered, massaging the side of his head "My skull seem to be fractured, but it almost doesn't hurt!"

"Idiots!" Garth yelled "You're all useless! Stand aside: she's mine!"

The man came forth.

Even a skilled warrior would have cowered in fear in front of that humongous frame.

Saya was a tall woman for a native Japanese, around 167 cm tall (5 ft 6), but she looked like an ant compared to Garth's 210 cm (7 ft) and 160 kilos of rock-hard muscles.

"DIE!" he shouted, bringing down his axe with all the weight of his body behind it . And something incredible happened.

Saya had stopped the axe by grabbing its grip. It was like seeing a frail tree branch stop a 160 kilos boulder. Garth couldn't believe his eyes. He tried to pull the axe back, but he couldn't move it by one inch.

 _No way_ , he thought, _no way this girl is so strong!_

Somewhere deep inside him, a great fear arose: it was the fear of the unknown. He started to feel like engaging in a deadly battle with that girl had been a grave miscalculation on his behalf. But it was such a terrible thought that Garth couldn't even tolerate it for one second, and immediately pushed it away, focusing instead on the murderous rage growing inside him.

"Let go, bitch!"

He threw a punch at the woman's face with his left hand. That punch could have knocked even a horse out, but it never reached its target: the woman elegantly dodged the deadly blow. At the same time, he felt the soft touch of the girl's index pressing the center of his forehead.

"Wha-what?"

He took a step back.

"What was that? Are you trying to mock me? Or you think you're so strong that you can knock me out with a finger?"

Saya didn't smile this time: she just stared at him coldly. Maybe, in her yes, a faint shadow of compassion flickered for a moment.

"Nothing of the sort" she said "That finger just hit the pressure point known as Gakuchu. The fight is over: you are already dead"

The fear came back, stronger this time, but Garth shook it off with a laughter.

"Very funny! So, I am already dead, uh? You're so full of shit, you dumb bitc-..."

He stopped talking.

Suddenly, the right side of his face had gone numb. A moment later, he lost sight from his right eye.

"What the FUUUUCK!" he screamed, as he felt his eye slowly come out from the eye socket and hang on his cheek, only linked to the orbit by the optic nerve.

He fell on his ass, frantically trying to put the eye back into place.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MEEEEEEE?!"

"Your eye has come out as a result of the sheer pressure inside your cranium" Saya explained.

"N-NO WAY! SOMEBODY, HELP!"

"Don't ask your own men for help: they also are already dead"

At that very moment, one of the seven men that attacked Saya grabbed both sides of his head, his face twisted by pain. Then, everybody heard the horrid sound of his skull bones starting to crack, as his head expanded like a ballon. The man let out a single, high-pitched scream, as his head kept swelling up to grotesque proportions. Then, the explosion.

It was like a fountain of blood. Brain matter splattered everywhere.

"By the Gods!" screamed another bandit, scared out of his wits. Then, the back of his head started swelling, like a ballon being filled with pressurized blood.

"No, not me, anything but tha-"

The back of his head exploded. His cranium was shattered, revealing the minced remains of his brain. The man took a few steps forward, then fell to the ground.

One after the other, the heads of anyone who got hit by Saya expanded and exploded, while screams of pain and terror filled the air.

"No way..." cried Garth, sitting on the sand "Then you really are...this is really..."

Saya towered over him.

"That's right" she said "This is the Fist of the North Star"

She looked at him with a strange expression, almost with regret.

"You know" she said "Considering the ending is going to be the same, you might as well have offered your life to fuck me. I would have fucked you good: being a prostitute is part of my sacred duties, after all. Oh well, too late for that now: you only got a few seconds left"

"Oh GODS, NO!"

Garth was now a prisoner of fear, a fear he had never felt in his life. He could not think, he could speak no more: he could only run.

He got up and ran, ran away from the beautiful woman who was actually a Goddess of Death.

Saya sighed. All the people she killed in the last six months, all those tough guys that killed and raped for the fun of it, turned out to be such cowards in their final moments.

"You can't outrun your own death, you fool" she said, almost with sadness in her voice.

Garth couldn't hear her anymore. He could only run.

A sudden pain at the center of his forehead almost froze his legs, but he kept running. He forced himself to run even as the pain grew, and his head started to swell up. He could hear the cracking of his own bones shattered by the pressure.

 _I don't want to die!_ he though, the sight from his remaining eye blurred by tears. I _don't want to! I don't want to!_

Then, the explosion. It was the last sound Garth would ever hear. After that, his enormous, headless body fell. The sand drank the blood that kept spurting from his neck.

The remaining twenty members of the Red Scorpion gang didn't even have to discuss about what to do. At the very moment they saw their boss's brain splatter everywhere, they mounted on their motorbikes and fled, running for their lives.


	2. Chapter 2: A Sinful Fist

"Stop it!" Saya yelled "Enough with this!"

She immediately regretted yelling, as the villagers cowered in fear: she didn't enjoy scaring them. Still, she couldn't help it: she tried to keep her composure for as long as he could, but those people were really starting to piss her off.

After the Red Scorpions fled, for the past hour, they had been bringing any kind of offer: food, water, money. She would have tolerated that kind of behavior if it was out of sheer gratitude, but that wasn't the case: she could clearly see a different emotion lingering in their eyes.

"Stop bringing this stuff! I don't need it anyway! I earn my share everyday by _working_ , you know? Don't give it to me just because you are _afraid!_ "

She clenched her teeth.

 _They totally ignored me for the past few days, except for when the men got horny...and I'm okay with that. They can yell at me, laugh at me and insult me, and I won't even care. But this...being worshipped out of fear...this is just unbearable!_

The villagers took a few steps back and finally dispersed, afraid to anger her even more. They returned to their occupations with the wagons and the animals pulling them, getting ready to resume march. Only one man approached her.

It was the village chief. A man in his fifties, but still taller and bigger than most.

He held a small bottle of Sake in his hand.

"Believe it or not" he said "This is out of gratitude, not fear. You saved our lives after all".

The man turned his head to gaze at the body of Garth: birds were already feasting over it. The amazing quantity of muscles, still warm, represented a once in a decade banquet for them.

"Am I scared of your Fist?" the man continued "Damn right I am. I think it's the most horrible thing I've seen in my entire life. Almost makes me feel compassion for the sorry bastards. But I know very well they were going to butcher us just as badly. Also, Hokuto Shinken is the Fist of the Savior. He used it to protect people. And so did you"

Saya smiled. She accepted the bottle and bowed her head.

"Thank you for your kind words, mister. I'm unworthy of being compared to Kenshiro-dono"

The man wished her a safe journey to Zaria, and took his leave.

Aiko, who had been waiting for her chance to speak with Saya, finally came close.

"I just wanted to tell you, you were _freaking cool!"_ she uttered "The way you handled those guys...like a boss! And when you kicked them...so elegant! And when their head started to blow up...the way you casually told them they were already dead...I can't begin to describe how _cool_ all of that was!"

Saya raised an eyebrow.

"Seeing a man's head explode didn't scare you? Not at all?"

"Well, it was extremely gross... but it's not like those guys didn't deserve it, so who cares?"

Saya chuckled.

"With that attitude, you could become a user of the art yourself!"

"Oh, I would _love_ that! If only I could be as strong as you!"

Saya's smile faded, and she stared at the girl with a sad look in her eyes.

"I wouldn't advise it" she said "It's a path littered with spines"

"But _why_ would a Hokuto Shinken user work as a prostitute? Anyone would be more than happy to hire you as a bodyguard! You would be eating better than even trained soldiers...and everybody knows that soldiers are the ones who get to eat the most!"

Saya put on a sad smile.

"The reason for that, represents the very spines I was talking about"

"Now that I think about it, how come you know how to use Hokuto Shinken?" Aiko asked "I heard the story...they said it is passed to one heir...don't tell me...did the great Kenshiro himself teach you?"

Saya shook her head.

"I never met Kenshiro-dono. In all honestly, if I ever met him, I don't know what would happen to me. He could even decide to seal my fist, if he wanted to"

Aiko raised her eyebrows.

"Seal...your fist?"

"Taking away my memories...my hands...or my life"

Aiko brought a hand over her mouth, in disconcert.

"No way!"

"It's one of the duty of the heir. You see, my Fist was born of Hokuto Shinken, and shares many techniques with it, but it is a derived style. Although there are certain reasons to why this Fist wasn't sealed centuries ago, and was allowed to be passed down to this day".

"Really? Oh please, tell me everything about it!"

Saya sighed.

"You are a curious one, aren't you?"

It couldn't be helped, not with a young girl like her: Hokuto and Nanto belonged to the realm of legends and heroes after all.

"So, if you heard of the legends, Hokuto Shinken was created in order to bring peace to the world...starting with the country where it was born, China. The heir used to serve the Celestial Emperor of China, as his personal bodyguard and assassin. Hokuto is passed down to one heir. Roughly 1600 years ago, a woman learned Hokuto Shinken for the first time in history. She acquired the Fist, but she lost the fight for succession: her master chose a different student as the new heir. Normally, her Fist would have being sealed: but that wasn't the case. It was by divine order that her Fist was spared"

"Divine order?"

"You see, at the time, the Celestial Emperor was still seen as the embodiment of a God...his word was a divine command. In reality, the Fist was saved by human lust. In truth, the Emperor lusted for the woman, and took her as one of his wives. He demanded that she would use Hokuto Shinken for his personal pleasure: because human tsubos, the pressure points, can be manipulated to inflict pain and death, but also to grant pleasure and health. Later, the Emperor demanded that she would teach Hokuto Shinken to some of his concubines. These women were used for pleasure, but also as lethal assassins: cause their true identities were known only to the Emperor himself, and when needed he would send them to enemy lords, disguised as traveling maids, in order to seduce them and kill them. For this purpose, only the most beautiful girls where chosen to inherit the Fist...and while the original Hokuto kept evolving as a fist of the battlefield, this derived line evolved as an assassin fist only, and also as a pleasuring art. So, the Sinful Fist of the North Star was born"

"No way!" Aiko almost yelled " Hokuto users were _prostitutes_?"

"Hold on a second! I said _concubines_ , not prostitutes. They were having sex with the Emperor and no-one else. At the time, it was considered the greatest honor a woman could aspire to. Ancient China wasn't really the most friendly place for a woman. Still, those women felt honored. Until, 200 years later, they fell from grace"

Saya looked into the distance, toward the sand dunes, as she recalled the story her Mistress told her.

"Once, there was a concubine that murdered the Emperor. To this day, the reason is unknown...I can only imagine that a woman exploited as a sex slave could grow to bear some ill will towards his master. Still, it was the murder of a deity, an unforgivable crime. The heir of Hokuto Shinken intervened. He defeated and executed the murderer, and was about to do the same to the other concubines. But they were righteous women, who always used their Fist for the good of the country. The heir was torn up inside: was it right to seal the Fist of women that used it to protect people? Was it really the will of the Heavens, to prevent them from saving lives? And so, for the first and last time in Hokuto history, the heir didn't fulfill his duty. He let the users escape, without even taking their memories away. They fled to Japan, and built a temple in which their Fist was passed on. But those women took an oath: that they would make amend for their companion's crime. Their bodies, once property of the Celestial Emperor, were offered to common people as a sacrifice. So, Hokuto Shinken users became prostitutes...and this burden has been passed on from Mistress to students ever since. That's when our Fist, that was already different from Hokuto Shinken, actually started being called _Sinful_. Because we can never atone for the grave sin of our ancestor".

Aiko was impressed.

"What a story...isn't that sad, though?"

Saya shook her head.

"I'm not sad. The burden felt heavier when I was younger...but I take pride in what my Mistress taught me. I use my Fist to pleasure men or take their lives, according to their karma" Unexpectedly, she smirked "Sometimes I do both"

"According to their karma? What do you mean?"

"Karma is the spiritual aspect of a person...you may even call it "the color of the soul". Everyone has both good and evil inside him, both yin and yang. A Hokuto Master can sense it: we don't just use our eyes to see. As the embodiment of the Goddess of Death, is my duty to exterminate the impure, to bring balance back in the world. Now, nobody is entirely pure, except for little children: everybody is, to some degree, selfish and a coward. Even my karma is pretty tainted. Of course, it's not like everyone who is impure deserves to die. But some people's karma becomes tainted to the point of non return. Willingly killing someone has an effect on the soul: the same goes for rape and torture. And there are even people who have a murky karma even without committing any major crime, being sadistic bastards by default: according to the laws of Hokuto, they would also be deserving of death, cause they would most certainly commit said crimes in the future. The raiders of this morning all had a pitch-black karma. That's why I didn't hesitate to kill them: their very presence gave me goosebumps "

"But, what about the twenty raiders you let go?"

Saya shrugged.

"They were so scared of me, to the point of pissing their pants...they were so afraid of dying. I took pity on them. Maybe it was a mistake...but they won't be bothering us anymore. And there is always a very, very slim chance that they would change their ways. It would take years to clean up a karma like that, and for most people that just isn't possible, but with true repentance, it may happen"

"You know, you are actually kinder than you look, Saya-san"

"Don't be silly. Also, just Saya is good enough"

Aiko interest was not satisfied just yet.

"But the whole pressure point thing...how does that work? I'm pretty sure I could poke a person's forehead all day and nothing would happen"

"But of course. You need to inject the pressure point with your ki. The effects are different according to the pressure point...not only that: even striking the same tsubo with different amounts and quality of ki may have different consequences. I can inject ki with my hands, knees, feet, elbows...even with the tip and the sides of my tongue"

"Your tongue?!"

"Yes. Why are you so surprised? The original Hokuto Shinken is more focused on destructive power...the North Star Sinful Fist holds seduction as one of its deadly tools. We also have techniques foreign to Hokuto Shinken, such as the modification of our bodies through the manipulation of our own pressure points"

"Modification? How?"

"Well, for example, to enhance our muscular mass...or enhance our sexual attributes...or even stretch-out our tongue up to a few meters, which is something we do by altering the ki in our bodies, simply focusing and controlling our breath"

"S-stretching out your tongue!? Now you must be kidding me, Saya-san!"

"Of course not! Think about it for a second: if the tip and sides of my tongue are as deadly as the tip of my fingers and the palms of my hands...what good is it, if I can't catch my opponent? In certain cases, mid-range fight is required. Besides" Saya added, winking at the girl "men love it when you pleasure them with your mouth"

Aiko froze and blushed, making Saya chuckle.

"S-so" Aiko said, trying to find a more comfortable topic of conversation "This Fist was passed down to women only, uh?"

Saya got serious again. The change was so sudden that Aiko flinched, fearing to have said something inappropriate.

"No. By tradition, this should be the case. You see, this Fist has a lot to do with lust: its philosophy is founded on the duality of Love and Death. Using it in certain ways can increase lust in the user...this may taint our karma, and lead the user to completely give in to it, killing in order to satisfy his own sexual urges. That's why we train very hard to keep our karma and our urges under control. For men, this is supposedly more difficult: teaching the Fist to a man is ill-advised. But our Mistress taught the Fist to two boys. She decided to put her faith in them"

 _And it was a mistake_ , Saya thought, her nails sinking in the palms of her hands. _It was a terrible, terrible mistake._

* * *

A hour later, Saya took her leave.

"I must head to Zaria now" she said to Aiko "Take care. I hope you and your family can find a better life in Bara"

"You know" Aiko said "there's a part of me that wanted to go with you. I was almost ready to beg you to bring me along, and teach me your Fist. But...I can't leave my family just now. My little sister needs me...and I feel like I need her as well"

"It's better this way" Saya replied " I'm not ready to be a Mistress to anyone just yet. There are things I haven't told you. Things I'm not comfortable talking about".

"I understand"

Aiko bowed her head.

"Thank you for everything you've done so far"

"No" Saya said "Thank you...for treating me like a person. May we meet again".

* * *

The Red Scorpions were resting at the top of a sand dune.

Most of them were still pale: even after a lifetime of violence, watching their companions die in such a horrible fashion shook them to the core.

Also, morale was down for another reason: they didn't just loose a few companions: they lost their boss.

"Fuck, why did this have to happen?" complained one of them.

"The Fist of the North Star in this land...unbelievable. Talk about bad luck" said another

"I always thought the stories about Hokuto were a bit exaggerated. Well, fuck me if they weren't. That woman stopped Garth! That freaking human monster called Garth! And then, she just killed him with a single touch!"

"We are in deep shit, I'm telling you! All other gangs are more numerous than us...Garth was the one scaring them off. As soon as they'll learn he's gone, they'll invade our territory and butcher us!"

"Well, to be fucking honest we wouldn't be so few in numbers, if Garth didn't murder any new guy that inadvertently pissed him off"

"Maybe we should ask that woman to be our boss" joked one of them "With her leading us, we would be invincible"

"Tsk, I'll cut my balls off before taking orders from a woman"

"Maybe you should"

They kept complaining and fighting for a while. But one man amongst them was not complaining.

He was Steven, Garth right hand man. Steven was confident he could claim the gang for himself. He had only one obstacle: the man named Mark.

Mark was young, but strong and skilled with weapons. He was ruthless in combat: he had joined the gang only a couple of years before, but he quickly gained Garth's respect. They had been rivals for a while. Yes, Mark was the only man who could threaten Steven position as the new chief.

"Hey!" one of them uttered, pointing his hand to the West "it's her! It's that Hokuto woman!"

Fear rekindled in everyone's heart. A figure wearing black robes was proceeding across the desert, around a mile away.

"I-is she looking for us?"

"No, idiot" Steven said "She hasn't even noticed us. She is going North...she is probably headed to Zaria"

A sudden idea came to his mind.

"Which means..."

His sun-dried lips curved up into a sadistic grin.

"...which means the convoy is now defenseless"

"I would advise against it"

Steven turned his head towards Mark: that bastard was the only one with the guts to oppose him.

"She was protecting those people" Mark continued "maybe she cares about them"

"Then, why did she leave them unguarded?" Steven replied "I'm telling you, this is our chance to put our hands on that supply truck. Think about all that food and water! I bet they have alcohol too! We could have one hell of a party tonight!"

"You are always so dumb" Mark said "what if she learns about it, and really comes after us? There is one rule in this world: _never anger the strong_ ".

"You know" Steven said "I always knew you were a pussy deep down. And I don't need a pussy in my gang"

With no hesitation, he swung at Mark with his axe. Mark had damn good reflexes though: even if caught by surprise, he dodged by a thread and reached for his sheathed sword.

"You fucker..." he hissed. But it was too late. While he was still unsheathing his weapon, Steven's axe cut deep into his neck. Mark didn't even let out a scream before going down.

"So" Steven said, looking his companions in the eyes "I'm the new leader of the Red Scorpions. Anyone got something to say?"

Silence followed.

"Good. Now, let's go get that truck!''

* * *

The sun was setting.

Aiko was sitting in a wagon, playing with her little sister. They had hoped to spend the night in Bara, but they had been traveling slower than expected, so they decided to spend the night at the foot of the mountains. Men were mounting guard: one of them was just outside her wagon, yawning with a jury-rigged spear in his hand.

Then, a sound: Aiko turned her head just in time to see the man fell to his knees and then on the ground, with an arrow sticking out from his neck.

 _No way_ , Aiko thought, giving in to panic. She grabbed her sister and tried to get off the wagon.

 _We didn't hear their motorbikes! They must have come by foot, to catch us by surprise!_

She was about to launch the alarm when a callous hand covered her mouth. A man put a knife to her throat.

"Eheheh, be a good girl now" said the bandit, baring his rotten teeth in a grin "I assure you, if you're good we are going to have lots of fun..."

* * *

The sun had set.

Saya could already see the city of Zaria to the horizon.

The wind carried a foul smell: something was burning.

She turned her head to the West, towards the mountains near Bara.

The reddish light of flames had lit the night sky.

There was little doubt to was could produce that kind of fire , in a desert such as that.

A grip of fear and anguish seized her heart.

 _The wooden wagons are burning..._

She started to run.

She ran towards the light with all the superhuman strength she was capable of. There were at least 5 miles between her and the flames, but she was now moving faster than if she were on horseback.

 _Don't let me be too late,_ she thought. _Oh, sweet mother of Hokuto, I was so naive! Please, please don't let me be too late.._.


	3. Chapter 3: Goddess of Death

When Saya reached the camp, wagons had already stopped burning.

She stopped for a second, staring at the scene before her.

It took her only 20 minutes to cover about 5 miles, and yet, there was no denying it: it was already too late.

No sign of the bandits.

She walked through the camp, breathless, as she contemplated the carnage.

Bodies everywhere: men, women and children. No one was spared.

A woman had her head chopped off: her chest had been stripped naked, exposed to the cold air, suggesting that Red Scorpions had their ways with her before finishing her off.

Some corpses were burned black: bandits had set fire to people when they were still alive, just to hear them scream. When she caught sight of the charred corpse of a child, Saya bent over and threw up.

 _My fault_ , she thought. _This is all my fault._

And:

 _I must find Aiko._

She started running across the camp, frantically looking for the girl and her little sister. She found them pretty easily.

The 5 years old child was laying down with her face in the sand. Her clothes were covered in dried up blood: she had been stabbed several times.

Aiko was laying on her back.

Her eyes were looking at the sky, but they could see no more.

She was naked from the waist down. Even in the faint moonlight, one could clearly see coagulated blood on her pubic hair.

Someone had slit her throat from ear to ear. Her eyes were still wet with tears. Saya kneeled beside her and gently closed them.

At that point, the woman of Hokuto couldn't hold back tears anymore.

She wept as the night wind blew, over the dead body of a girl she had just met.

 _It was because I let them live. They were murderous bastards without even a shred of mercy, yet I showed mercy to them. I was too naive._

Then, the wind brought voices to her ear.

She raised her head. The voices were faint, but there was no mistake: the bandits were still nearby. They probably found shelter in a nearby ravine to enjoy the stolen goods. If Saya focused, she could faintly perceive their rotten karma.

 _I won't make the same mistake twice_.

A blind rage got the best of her. She felt a wave of murderous ki flow through her.

Saya stood up, as she made her mind. Her resolve was a death sentence.

 _Tonight, the Goddess of Death walks the earth._

* * *

The man vigorously rubbed his hands, in a fruitless attempt to warm them up.

"Fuck!" he said "Why do we have to be the ones on the look-out? It's freaking cold out here".

The man glanced at the inviting fire, about fifty meters from him, where the narrow path carved into the mountain became wider. In the safe den, surrounded by stone walls, the rest of the gang was eating, singing and celebrating.

"Because we were the latest guys to join the group, that's why" replied the other guard, biting into a roasted chicken leg "Stop whining, Zach. Our turn will be over in four hours"

"I'm tired of being pushed around just because I'm the new guy, Kakugo"

"If you want to live, stop complaining, or someone will put a dagger in your belly one day. Damn, you're lucky Garth is dead: he would have torn you apart without a second thought. Besides, you can't really complain, after all the fun we had today"

Zach grinned viciously.

"Well, I can't deny that. That woman's tits were so big, it was ridiculous! I even fucked her from behind...she was moaning and crying from pleasure, that slut!"

"I think she was crying from pain..."

"Whatever. Also, the goods they had stored in that truck weren't half bad"

"Yeah" Kakugo said, while chewing roasted chicken "I didn't have any meat for weeks! It's so good I could die!"

"Is it really that good?" asked a female voice behind them.

They both flinched and turned their heads.

 _No way_ , Zach thought, as he met the dark eyes of the Hokuto woman.

Kakugo still had the chicken leg in his mouth. The woman pushed it deeper in his throat, violently. The chicken bone bursted through the back of his skull. Kakugo looked at her with a dumb expression on his face before collapsing.

Zach tried to scream, but she quickly poked a point on his throat: no matter how hard he tried, only a faint moan came out. He took a step back, in a clumsy attempt to get away from her, but she stuck her finger deep into his shoulder, and both his arms and legs froze.

 _I can't move_ , he thought, giving in to panic. _What has she done to me?!_

"Hush now, darling" she said, in a coquettish voice" I can't have you scream and alert your friends just yet. I wanted to have some intimate time with you, first. If you want to speak to me, you'll have to do it softly"

She came closer.

She had abandoned her black robes: she was left with the white dress, revealing her legs and her left shoulder. In the moonlight, her beauty was almost unreal.

"You see, I was spying on you from those rocks up there. And from what I heard, you're quite the horny type"

 _That's how she was able to catch us from behind,_ Zach realized _. Impossible! How could she land without a single sound, after jumping down_ _from that height?_

She grabbed one of his hands and placed it on her left breast.

"Did that woman have bigger tits than me?" she asked "I guess so. After all, I only got a C cup. Still, it feels good, doesn't it?"

"W-what are you doing?" he whispered, unable to speak in a louder tone "Are you out of your mind?"

"Well, you fucked that woman on your own terms. So I thought, I'd fuck _you_ on my own terms. I'll have a bit of fun before killing you. Spoiler alert: you are going to be crying from pain, not pleasure"

Zach was already crying, though. The horror of what he saw that morning was still fresh in his memory. The fear erased any dignity he had left.

"Please, please don't" he pleaded " I'm begging you! I don't want to die like the others! Anything but that!"

"Like the others?" she whispered, while gently scratching his bare chest with her hand. She was so close, now, they could have kissed. "Did you really think I would be _that_ merciful, after what you did?"

"I didn't even want to attack those guys, I swear to you! It was Steven, he gained control of the gang and ordered us around! It was he who..."

"Shhhh, don't cry now" she said in a soft, sensual voice, bringing her mouth near his left ear "A man should take responsibility for his actions, you know"

Zach sobbed even harder.

"Oh Gods, please! I was wrong, I was wrong! I won't do it ever again, I promise! Whatever you are, angel or demon, have mercy!"

The woman ignored his final plea.

"Try to relax now" she said. Her breath made the left side of his face tickle. Her neck was so close he could smell her: she smelled good. Her breast felt soft and warm under his hand. Even knowing he was about to die, Zach found himself with an erection.

"The pain will only last a few minutes".

When the tip of her tongue pierced through his temple and into his skull, Zach wanted to scream, but he could only let out a long, desperate muffled lament.

* * *

The gang was cheerfully singing a vulgar song around the fire. Steven chugged from a bottle of sake, with a delighted look on his face.

Since the nuclear holocaust ten years before, when he was still a street punk, this had been the best day in his life. In a few hours, he claimed the Red Scorpions gang for himself, had lots of sex and enjoyed a fine meal. He looked at the clear sky above him, where stars shined brightly.

 _Garth's legacy is over,_ he thought. _My legacy starts today_.

Something heavy fell on the fire from above.

As Zach got up, screaming from pain, everybody stopped singing.

"Zach" Steven said, too shocked to fully understand what he just saw "the hell you doing?"

 _He didn't jump into the fire,_ he realized _. He was thrown into it. Thrown like a doll._

Which was absurd, as the bandit's weight was around 70 kilos.

Zach torso was badly burned, but he didn't even seem to notice: he had a crazed look in his eyes. He was holding the sides of his head with both of his hands.

"She did something to me" he said, and unexpectedly he chuckled "Something weird. With her tongue. She put her tongue inside me!"

He laughed like a madman, as everyone watched in disconcert.

"She fucked my brain! It was like having a living snake moving inside my head! It hurt so much, but now it tickles, it tickles..."

Then, his head started to change. Throbbing lumps of flesh appeared on the sides, back and top of his head. Enlarged veins covered his skin, like crawling worms.

"AAAAH, IT HURTS AGAIN, IT HUUUURTS! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO HURT SO MUCH? WHAT DID I EVER DO TO DESERVE THIS!? GODS, IF ONLY I DIED BEFORE TODAY, IF ONLY I DIED BEFO-"

His head blew up with a loud, disturbing noise.

Sounds of horror and disgust came from everybody.

"Did you miss me?"

Steven watched the woman standing at the entrance of that place, and his blood froze. Men squealed in panic.

"Don't let her touch you!" he yelled "The crossbows, use the crossbows! Shoot her down!"

But it was too late.

Moving faster than the eye can track, she jumped at them.

"ATA!" she screamed in a high-pitched voice, as she hit four guys in quick succession. Limbs twisted, bones broke, muscles expanded and exploded.

"Fuck this, I'm getting out of here!" yelled one of them.

Easier said than done: she was blocking the only exit. The guy who spoke had his neck blown up: his head flew off and hit the rock wall with a wet noise.

Steven had an axe in his hands, but he could not bring himself to fight: he could only watch, frozen on the spot, as his men horribly died.

* * *

Saya was now overwhelmed by a powerful mix of rage and bloodlust. She kept hitting vital points, enjoying the sound of spines cracking and breaking,as a rain of blood and guts fell on the earth.

"No, please!" uttered a terrified bandit, a man in his twenties "I had nothing to do with that, I just watched! Please, believe me! I only joined the Scorpions to have a better chance at survival!"

"Ok" Saya said " I have a simple question for you then"

"Y-yes"

She pointed a finger at her own bloodshot eyes.

"Does it look like I give a fuck?"

The bandit never answered. He turned his back on her and ran towards the rock wall: he was so out of his mind, he probably thought he could climb it.

Saya extended her tongue like a snake: she wrapped it around the thug's head, covering all of his face. It had the strength of a piton: she could have just squashed his skull like an orange if she wanted to. Instead, she sent a deadly dose of ki through her tongue and into his pressure points: the head started enlarging like a ballon, as he let out suffocated scream. In a few seconds, his brain splattered all over the rocks.

* * *

Steven had his back to the wall. All of his men were dead. His ambition of leading his own gang had vanished, but he didn't care in the slightest: all he thought about now, was his own survival.

When the Hokuto woman finally turned her head to him, he pissed himself. A gush of urine ran down his leg.

"Please, I give up!" he cried, as she slowly approached "I never meant to anger you! I didn't think those people were so important to you!"

She didn't even reply: she just kept getting closer.

"I know! I can repay you! Yes, I can make amends by working for you! Someone as strong as you must be aiming to claim her own turf, am I right? Just like Ken-Oh did years ago! I can help you out! I know all the gangs in this area, their numbers, their strategies and weaknesses...I can tell you everything! I'll even fight, and die for you! I'll follow your every command so...please!"

They were now in front of each other.

She raised a hand, and threw a punch.

Steven closed his eyes, waiting for the pain. It didn't come.

He reopened his eyes: the punch had stopped one inch from his face.

A single thread of hope made its way through his fear.

 _Is she sparing my life?_

Then, a second punch stopped right before hitting him. Then, a third followed. Then a fourth. Punches kept being thrown, in a succession that got faster and faster.

"W-what...?"

"You didn't think I was going to spare you, did you?" she said in a cold voice " This was merely the starting ritual to your execution"

" Y-you can't be serious!"

She took a deep breath, and the air around her seemed to glow with a faint blue light.

"HOKUTO SENJUKAI KEN!"

Punches came. Hundreds of them. They broke his nose, his cheekbones, his collarbones, even his ribs as they sank into his torso. Everything was over in a couple of seconds.

"W-what..." Steven said. His body had gone numb, and his head felt dizzy.

"I-I don't feel anything...it doesn't even hurt"

The woman turned her back on him.

"Even so, you only got seven seconds to live"

"N-no, this can't be!"

Every single area struck by her started to swell up. Pain came and started to increase. The Hokuto woman began to walk away.

"NO, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO ME, I'LL DO ANYTHING, ANYTHING YOU WANT, ANY-..."

Steven screams stopped, as a loud sound echoed against the stone walls. All that was left of his upper body was minced meat.

Saya was about to leave the place, as she noticed the man cowering in the corner.

She had mistaken him for a corpse, covered as he was in his friends's guts and blood. Still, it was weird that she didn't notice his presence until now.

She came close, towering over him...and she understood the reason.

No wonder she didn't feel his presence. The man was staring in front of him with empty eyes. He still had a terrified look on his face, but he didn't seem to be aware of his surroundings anymore: confronted with such horror, his mind broke.

 _I literally scared him out of his wits._

She thought about finishing him off, but she quickly abandoned the idea. This time, it had nothing to do with compassion : her Fist couldn't kill a man who lost the will to live. It was like killing a dead man: even his karma, who was originally murky, had gone completely blank. It was impossible to tell if he would ever recover.

 _Besides, he will probably die here anyway._

"I don't know when you will come to your senses" she told him "But when that happens, I hope you'll remember this: never hurt anyone again...or I'll find you"

Finally, the Goddess of Death left that place, leaving a scene of carnage behind her.

* * *

In the great hall, a young man sat on the throne.

He was in his late twenties: despite his age, his eyes suggested a sharp mind and a fierce willpower. There was no arrogance in them: on the contrary, they let a deep self-consciousness transpire. Those were the eyes of a much older man.

He was a handsome Asian man, with a muscular, slim body and long black hair that reached his shoulders. Beside the throne, many beautiful women waited for orders, carrying pitchers filled with wine and trays covered in any kind of fruit.

One could mistake those servants for concubines: anyone would be very surprised to learn that such a young man had no concubines at all.

The King had a stern look in his eyes, as he stared at the armored man kneeling before him.

"How many casualties?" he asked.

"Sixty men, Your Majesty...which is to say, the entirety of the group that tried to apprehend the blonde woman. No-one survived"

The man clenched his teeth.

"Those fools...I gave specifics orders about that woman, since the very moment we learned she fled this city. I told you to uncover her location...and report to me. _I_ was supposed to handle her. I gave you detailed descriptions of the five extremely dangerous women that only I can handle"

"The commander died too. Otherwise, I would have already put him under arrest"

"And I would have executed him with my bare hands. That idiot is the sole responsible for the death of sixty men"

 _That is to say, about ten percent of our current forces,_ he thought. _Damn...first the Princess escapes us, and now Olga...there's no doubt that her goal was to confirm my location and report to the others..._

" So...it happened at the village of Eiras?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. The woman was hiding there"

The young King stood silent for a moment.

"Kill them all" he said "Lead a night raid and totally exterminate the village. Men, women...even children. The ones we spare today will become tomorrow's enemies. Tomorrow morning, start spreading the news that Eiras village attempted an armed revolt against the Crown"

"Your Majesty...isn't Eiras village our main source of cattle? They always paid their monthly fee on time..."

"We'll give all the cattle to farmers of the city. We can't have the news of what happened spread to other villages. If they catch wind that someone exist in this world that can oppose me, they will start an uprising. If they all rebel at once, they'll overwhelm our forces. Now go".

"Yes, Your Majesty"

"One more thing" the King added, after a moment of hesitation "Don't let your men rape any of the women. I won't have them indulge in their filthy pleasures, nor I'll tolerate any unnecessary violence. Eiras village is paying a price for our safety: bring a swift death upon them. If even one of your men disobeys me, you'll pay with your life"

"Yes. Your Majesty...what about the blonde woman? Shouldn't we send some men on pursuit, to follow her and report on her movements?"

"Forget it. The Princess is the only woman you should focus on finding. Besides...the Hokuto woman will be back, sooner or later. Tell the garrison to stay alert and report on any suspect movement: it's likely she won't come back alone"

The young man closed his eyes and laid back on the throne, with a grave expression on his face.

 _Of course she won't. You will come too...am I right, Saya?_


	4. Chapter 4: Meet Mai

Saya walked through the door, and everyone in the inn turned their heads to her.

It's really wasn't uncommon that she would receive that kind of attention: beautiful women rarely went unnoticed, and Saya was of an exceptional beauty. Sadly, a beautiful woman would easily become a target to ill-intentioned men: even in a relatively peaceful village like Zaria, that kind of incidents were not infrequent. That's why she would often wear a hood: not out of fear, but to avoid unneeded confrontation that would delay her business. Even a Goddess of Death could not afford to bring justice upon delinquents every single day.

 _Whatever. If problems arise, I'll deal with them._

She went straight to the owner of the inn, and put a sack of coins on the desk.

"A room for the night"

"Sure, ma'am" the guy said, an old fellow missing most of his teeth " Are you planning on staying here only for one day? The next village is pretty far, and the road is perilous. Expecially since you seem to be traveling alone".

"I'll adjust my plans according to my needs. I will probably end up staying here longer...if that's the case, I'll pay for my room, don't you worry"

"Well, it's not like we are short on available rooms. Zaria doesn't get that many travelers everyday"

"Good. Now, I'll need you to tell me something".

Saya put a photograp on the desk. It was old and yellowed, yet one could still clearly see the people portrayed in it.

"Ooh" the guys said, in surprise "You don't see a lot of these around anymore!"

"It's from six years ago. We just happened to acquire an old camera for cheap. Now… have you seen any of the girls in this picture?"

The man stared intensely at it.

"So many beautiful ladies...who's the young man in the middle? He must be a lucky guy".

 _Someone who's going to get very unlucky , very soon,_ Saya thought, but she kept this for herself.

"So? Have you seen any of them?"

"I think would remember it if I saw...wait, wait! This one!" he put a finger on one of the five women in the picture "I saw her! Who could forget a beauty like that? She arrived in town a week ago. She's currently working at an inn, at the other end of the village! I wish I could afford to hire her...at least I would get to see something beautiful every morning, instead of the usual ugly faces!"

The man chuckled. Saya ignored the lustful vibe she was getting from him.

"Good" she said "Thank you"

"I hope you don't have any ill-will toward that girl, ma'am" he added, with a sudden grin on his face "You know...she already has a rep for not being the kind of girl you want to mess with".

* * *

It was lunchtime. The inn was crowded with visitors.

Jake nervously carried a tray filled with food, worried that he may spill it: it was his first day on the job, after all. At the age of 16, he was lucky to have found that kind of emplyment: most of his friends were doing heavy work elsewhere, but he wasn't really built for it.

Moving across the hall, he met Mai going in the opposite direction, carrying an empty tray. She winked at him, and he almost stumbled on his feet, risking to spill everything.

It couldn't be helped: Mai was of a breath-taking beauty.

She told him she was of mixed-race: half Vietnamese, half black. At least that's what she was told, since she never met her real parents.

That explained the unsual height for a Vietnamese girl: 170 cm ( 5 ft 7).

She was of a dark skin tone, and had amaizing black almond-shaped eyes.

Her black, smooth hair were cut short in a stylish bob. In all honesty, Jake found that kind of haircut sexier than the average long hair women usually had. The earrings she wore, two large black circles, made her even more elegant.

Mai didn't speak much, but she always seemed to be in a good mood, always greeting anyone with a respectful bow of her head and a smile: that, was a smile to die for. Jake was pretty certain he already had a crush on her.

Her body, of course, didn't go unnoticed.

She was wearing a pretty sexy dress, althought not really expensive: it revealed her legs up to the mid of her thighs, and the upper part of her breasts, althought it covered her shoulders.

 _She's at least got a D cup,_ Jake thought, and almost stumbled again.

 _You idiot!,_ he told himself, _Focus on what you're doing! You don't want to lose this job!_

He also had a feeling she winked at him fully aware that he would flinch: he had only known her for a few hours, but he already learned she had a peculiar sense of humor, making fun of him in subtle ways.

Jake had finally delivered the food at the right table, when a a new visitor walked through the entrance. And Jake's heart leaped once again.

She was an Asian beauty unlike Jake had ever seen. She was staring straight at Mai, who immediately turned her head: their eyes met, and Mai smiled.

"Ehm" Jake said, approaching the girl " May I help you, ma'am? You may need to wait a few minutes for a table..."

"I'm not here to eat" she said "I just need to talk with that girl"

"Do you know Mai?"

"Let's just say we go way back"

At that very moment, Jake caught a customer's movement with the corner of his eye.

As Mai was walking by a table, carrying drinks in her hands, a shady looking guy reached out and groped her ass.

Mai flinched and turned to face the molester.

"Now, now" she said, in a friendly yet reprimanding tone " Use your eyes, not your hands"

The man grinned. He was sitting at the table with another guy, who not only didn't reprimand him, but actually stood up for him.

"Come on now, miss" he said, getting up and grabbing her arm "We just thought we could enjoy your company. Why don't you sit down with us?"

"Sorry, I'll have to pass" she said in a calm, composed tone "Can't you see I'm working?"

"Weeeell now, what kind of service is this?" said the guy who groped her ass, also getting up " Why can't you give two lonenly customers some company? It's insulting. We came here and paid for service. We may get angry, you know"

Jake was sweating profusely.

He knew Mai had a reputation for being able to defend herself: he heard she broke both of a drunken man's arms, since he got violent and tried to hit her. But even so, Jake couldn't leave a woman alone in that kind of situation: he had to do something. Problem was, each of those guys were twice his size. As for the customers, they were just watching without lifting a finger: they were too scared to stand up for a stranger.

"You'll behave, right?" one of the thugs said, placing once again his hand on Mai's butt "Come on, be a good waitress and show us a place more... _intimate_ "

Mai stood still for a moment, as holding her breath. She was clearly not enjoying that kind of physical contact. After a moment, though, she gave them a radiant smile.

"Very well" she said, with a malicious light flickering in her eyes "Please, follow me outside"

She put both of her hands on the men's wrists, and started leading them through the backdoor.

"Hey!" Jake uttered, moving a step forward " What do you guys think you're..."

"Stop it".

The Asian woman had put a hand on his shoulder, and was helding him back with incredible strength.

"Leave her alone" she said.

"What are you doing?" Jake asked "I thought you were her friend!"

"What am I doing, you ask?"

The woman smiled: in her eyes lingered the very same look Mai had.

"Isn't that obvious?" she asked "I'm giving her some privacy".

* * *

"Here, gentlemen" Mai said "Nobody shall disturb us"

The back alley was dusty and deserted. The sun didn't reach them, yet it was oppressively hot: it was the middle of the day, after all.

Vargus didn't mind the heat: he was focused on an even hotter matter right now.

His traveling companion, Genjo, pushed the girl against the wall. As he groped her right breast, he started kissing the crook between neck and shoulder; then he moved up her neck and bit her ear lobe.

She put her hands on the sides of his head, brought it closer and passionately kissed him. Their tongues wriggled in a mix of saliva.

Vargus groped her left boob with one of his hands, and started lifting her skirt with the other. Even under the clothes, he could feel how soft and elastic her boobs were. He was already panting from both heat and lust.

 _Who knew we would find this beauty in this God forsaken village!,_ he thought. _We got so lucky!_

Then, he heard Genjo muffled screams. Vargus raised his head to watch, and at first he doubted his eyes.

Genjo head was expanding and twisting. He could hear the sound of his skull cracking. Veins were popping out everywhere, and his hair got sparser, revealing the scalp underneath.

Genjo was clearly in pain. He was trying to get away from the girl, but she kept holding his head in her hands and sucking his face.

After a few seconds, she pushed him away: Genjo opened his mouth and let out a screeching sound...then, his head exploded. Blood splattered over the wall behind him.

Vargus was in shock. He moved a step back from her.

"W-what...what the fuck did you just do to him?!"

She she gave him a friendly smile, as if a man's head didn't just explode before her eyes.

"What did I do? Well, it's one of my Fist's simplest tecniques: the Deadly Kiss of the North Star "

"Y-you bitch..."

He unsheated his knife. He was scared, but he wasn't going to flee. He didn't really understand what that woman just told him, but he knew one thing: he had always been able to survive fights with that knife.

"DIE!" he yelled, as he swinged at her.

And he stopped. He couldn't move his body anymore: moving quicker than the eye could track, she had stuck her fingers in both sides of his face, from cheekbone to jaw.

"What..."

She pulled her fingers out, and his arms moved on their owns: his right arm was twisted and bent behind his back, while his left arm was brought up to the back of his head.

"What...THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME? I CAN'T MOVE!"

He tried to move his legs. He felt that he could do it if he really tried: he was just meeting great resistance.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" she said, with the usual seductive smile on her face "I hit your Shinfukumen pressure points. If you force yourself to move, your upper body will blow up"

"This can't be!"

He stopped struggling: even a dumb thug like him knew he was beaten. Right now, he knew only one thing: he didn't want to end up like Genjo.

"You must not move for three days" she said " After that, you'll be saved"

"Three days!?"

Three days paralyzed in that heated up alley, pissing and shitting himself: he would have barely survived dying from thrist.

 _But I can survive_ , he thought, and he felt immediate relief from his terror, _I'm not going to be killed here._

Then, he suddenly felt dizzy. He started to drool, as he was overwhelmed by a lust he never felt before in his life. His erection painfully pressed against his pants. Now, the presence of such a beautiful woman in front of him was almost unbearable.

"What...what is this...why am I..."

"Oh, right,I forgot to tell you" she said with a facepalm, feigning regret "The effect of my Fist on the Shinfukumen pressure points is a little different from original Hokuto Shinken. You see, it increases your lust to an extreme degree. But don't you worry, it will fade away in three days. After all, you won't be so dumb to move just for a nice pair of tits, am I right?"

As she said that, she grabbed her own breasts. She played with them.

"See?" she said "They are just tits after all. They are not worth your life"

Vargus salivation increased.

"Hey, don't do that..." he groaned.

"Whoops" she said in a coquettish voice, as she let one of her shoulder-strap slide down and reveal most of her right breast "I'm so clumsy"

"Hey" Vargus uttered in desperation, trying to control the urge to jump her "Stop doing that!"

"Mmmh, what could you be talking about, I wonder? I'm just struggling with my clothes. They often lead to these kind of incidents, you know: they are elegant, but they're _sooo revealing_..."

She wiped sweat off her brow.

"Isn't it too hot in here? Maybe I should just take my clothes off"

"Please don't..." he begged, on the verge of crying.

 _Please do,_ he thought. He could hardly think straight anymore.

"Aren't you also hot, with that shirt on?" she asked "Here, I'll help you out".

She put her hands on his chest and started tearing fabric apart. Vargus' body wriggled at her touch.

"PLEASE, STOP!" he cried " I apologize for what I did! I won't do it ever again! But please, stop teasing me!"

"You apologize? What for?" she asked, feigning puzzlement "I don't mind getting this kind of attention. After all, it's only thanks to guys like you, that I get to have some fun from time to time".

She stripped.

Her bouncy breasts popped out in the hot air. Her nipples were large and pinkish.

"Oh my" she said, playing with them some more "Look! They are sooo sweaty!"

That was it. Vargus lost any control he had left. He felt his mind slipping into a frenzy.

" _Uahahaha!"_ he laughed like a maniac as he jumped her, breaking through the resistance his own muscle offered _"Who cares what happens! Let me have some of that, you filfthy whor-"_

A sound came from the dephts of his body. It was the last sound Vargus would ever hear.

Blood spurted everywhere, painting Mai face and breasts crimson red.

* * *

 _One_ _hour later_

In a private room, Mai and Saya were facing each other, sitting at the same table.

"So, you were the first one to come back" Saya said.

"Yes. About a week ago"

"I'm happy to see you haven't lost your touch"

"Of course not. Sorry to have kept you waiting, though. That was a messy affair: I had to take a bath after that"

"Your friend is in shock about what you did, you know. I'm talking about the boy"

"Oh, Jake wil recover from it. He's a nice guy. I think he has a crush on me"

"Still, why did you search for a job as a waitress?" Saya asked "Why didn't you just sell your body, as we always do?"

Mai smiled.

"Come on, Saya-chan" she said " You're way too strict. Out of all us Sinful Fist users, you the one that takes her sacred duties most seriously. I just felt like working at a inn would be fun, that's all. I'll sell my body when I feel like it"

"Mh" Saya nodded, poorly hiding her disapproval for that carefree attitude.

But she knew very well that Mai was as carefree in her choices of life as she was reliable in carrying out her tasks.

"So, let's get down to business" Saya said "I roamed the South for months, and I couldn't find anything. What about you? Got any lead?"

Mai smiled once again.

"I found Goro"

Saya eyes widened in surprise.

"Did you?"

"Yes. He's the leader of a bandit group in the West. He has control over a few villages. Needless to say, he's terrorizing and murdering innocent people"

"Did you meet him in person?"

"No. I just collected informations from his underlings. It was easy to make them talk"

Saya raised one of their eyebrows.

"Goro was always the weakest of us" she said "He's a poor user of our Fist. He was the only one to fail our Mistress' test. You could have handled him easily".

"Yes"

"But you didn't"

"Of course not. I would have _never_ stolen that pleasure from Theresa"

This time, it was Saya who smiled.

"Well said. What about his underlings? I suppose you took care of them"

"Of course"

"But won't Goro be alarmed, seeing his men died from Hokuto Shinken? He could try to flee".

"Well" Mai said "We both know he would be so dumb to actually try and fight us. But, just in case, I made it look like his underlings killed each other"

Saya expected that of Mai: she had always been the most clever and careful among them.

"So, did you kill them with some weapon? A sword, perhaps?"

"I thought about doing that" she answered "but then again, it would be evident from the wounds that someone with superhuman strength killed them. Not that I expect Goro to be this smart...but just in case, I pressed their Jeihoku pressure point"

Saya couldn't help but flinch a little.

"Jeihoku?"

"Yes"

"You mean you literally controlled their minds to make them kill each other, all while being fully conscious of what was going on, and not being able to stop themselves?"

"Yes. They cried, and begged, and screamed a lot, but everything was over pretty quickly"

Mai kept smiling, and Saya forced herself to reciprocate.

 _Damn,_ she thought, _we always thought Roxanne to be the sadistic one... but the way Mai is able to smile after doing this kind of things, is just damn scary!_

Then, she posed the most important question. She was almost afraid to hear the answer.

"What about Shun?"

Mai shrugged.

"No clue. I haven't found any signs of him. Except for a little hint" she said "I heard Goro met with a certain King a while ago. Some ruler of some faraway city in the North. That's all I know about it, but...we can't really rule out the possibility that it may be Shun"

Saya hands were spasmodically clinging to the sides of her chair.

 _A King? The ruler of a city? What the hell are you aiming at, Shun?_

Then, she strived to calm herself: she couldn't afford to let her emotion get the best of her.

"We'll deal with Goro" she said, in a firm tone of voice " And we'll deal with Shun too. Let's wait for the others"


	5. Chapter 5: Meet Roxanne

The man panted heavily, as he thrust his pelvis forward more vigoursly. Looking into the mirror in front of him, he saw the girl bit her lower lip, as she moaned with pleasure.

Her long,elaborate braid of blazing red hair swung back and forth along with the man's movements, hanging down from a shoulder covered in freckles.

The man hands rested just above the girl's hips: she had a small waist, and he could see her spine arch with every new wave of pleasure.

 _The hottest woman I ever met,_ the man thought, _and I'm screwing her from behind!_

He honestly had _no idea_ of how he ended up sharing a bedroom with her.

The night had not started well for him.

He had walked in a pub with Betsy. Whiny, weepy Betsy. He deeply regretted making her his woman.

For a few days, it had been fun. But she only had the looks: no personality whatsoever. She always had that gloomy look on her face...like she was dead inside. Couldn't she be a bit more grateful? Out of all the prostitutes working for him, he had chosen _her._ He had control over most of the prostitution market in Zaria, he could have had any woman he wanted: most girls were more than happy to be with a powerful man like him. And yet, Betsy was always on the verge of tears.

He had tried beating some sense into her, but this only made her cry more. Until, that very night, the man snapped.

He had broken a glass on her head in front of everybody, knocking her out. She was bleeding profusely from her lacerated scalp, but she was still alive. At that point, he had started stomping on her ribcage. In all honestly, he didn't know if he was going to stop before killing her: it had always been hard to regain control after losing it.

It was at that moment that the red hair woman had jumped him. She had literally _jumped him._

She had thrown her arms around his neck and put her tongue in his mouth, as they both landed on a couch behind them.

She was a small woman, 158 cm tall ( 5 ft 2), but she had a very nice ass and a C cup that looked really good on her body. More than anything, the man was instantly bewitched by her bright blue eyes, two gems set in a visage sprinkled with freckles. Those eyes looked _thirsty._

"Lead me to your room" the woman had whispered in his ear, biting on his ear lobe " Big and strong men like you make me horny".

And there they were. Looking into the mirror, he could see her two round, bouncy breasts swinging back and forth. But the man was not satysfied yet.

He grabbed her left arm, and twisted it against her back. She moaned from pain, but also from pleasure.

"What, are you enjoying this as much as I do, you slut?" he asked, baring his teeth in a grin.

 _This has become the greatest fuck of my life!_

At that point, he saw something happen in the mirror.

At first, he thought it was a hallucination.

 _I've been drinking too much._

But thinking about it, he hadn't been drinking at all.

His head had become grotesquely deformed. Lumps of throbbing flesh appeared everywhere, getting bigger and bigger as they filled with blood. When pain started, he knew it was no hallucination.

"AAAH, WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING TO ME!?"

He tried to get away from her, but he coudn't. He couldn't even stop his own thrusting movements. He was not in control of his body anymore.

Then, he heard her laugh. He watched her laugh her ass off in the mirror, with a delighted look on her face: that laugh was like a death sentence to him. He immediately felt as a fly who got stuck in a spiderweb and only realized it way too late.

Through the mirror, he met her perfect blue eyes: there was a sadistic light in them.

"You were dead since the moment I laid my eyes on you" she said "Now, fuck me until you die"

He wanted to scream, but couldn't: his voice had been taken away. He kept thrusting her as his head grew bigger...and bigger...and bigger…

* * *

 _Well, this was messy,_ the red-haired girl thought, as she rolled the headless body over with her bare foot. _That's why I never bring them to my place._

She yawned, and stretched her arms.

 _Still, I got to say, the first night in this town wasn't half bad._

She had to clean herself up, put her clothes back on, and leave the place before anyone saw her with a dead body. She had the impression that man wasn't really loved by the town's folk, but it was best to not take any chances. As long as nobody saw her on the crime scene, it would have been fine.

 _I wonder if any of the others already made it here?_

* * *

The raider let out a scream of excitement as he stepped on gas.

The motorbike roared louder, as he and his friend got closer to their target.

The lone wandered was running pretty fast, but no human could outrun a motorbike. She was wearing a hood, but since they spotted her and investigated her with binoculars, it was pretty clear that she was a woman. She was now running towards Zaria's village; the sight of the village's wooden walls probably instilled an illusion of safety in her.

 _The poor fool,_ the raider thought, s _he doesn't know we own that town. Zaria has been paying his monthly fee to the Desert Woves for two years now: food, water...even women. If we demand to have her, they can't refuse!_

In a few minutes, they reached her and cut her off. The raider stopped his bike, and was finally able to see her face. He was immediately struck by her emerald-green eyes.

"Well well" he said " A blond-haired beauty!"

" We can definetly sell her" the other raider said "The boss will be pleased"

"Why would she cut her hair so short, though? They don't even reach her jawline"

" A clumsy attempt to disguise herself as a man, most likely. No matter. Her hair will grow back"

Unlike other gangs such as the Red Scorpions, the Desert Wolves didn't just raid villages and attack convoys: they demanded a fee, greatly increasing their profit on the long run, and they also dealt with slave trade, making business with faraways cities too big to be subjugated by force.

The girl got rid of her cloak and took a fighting stance: she looked really young, around 16 years old.

"Get lost" she said, with a menacing look in her eyes " Or I'll have to claim your lives"

The bandits laughed.

"What are you, a martial artist or something?" the raider said, getting closer to her and reaching out to grab her arm "Come on now, behave, miss..."

She moved her hand quickly, almost to quick for his eyes to track. And something weird happened.

The raider's hand fell off his wrist. It just _fell off._ Blood spurted from the stump.

" _Aaah what the fuck!"_

It made no sense. The woman had no weapon in her hands. Hell, he wasn't even sure she _touched_ him: she just seemed to chop at the air. And yet, his hand was now laying on the sand.

He felt no pain, but he was losing blood. He fell on his ass and brought the stump against his stomach, trying to stop the bleeding.

"What did you to to him, you bitch!?"

The other bandit unsheathed his sword. He tried to swing at her, but she was faster.

She dodged the blow, then moved her hand across the air multiple times, as performing an elegant dance.

"W-what..." the bandit muttered "I feel...weird..."

She looked at him with contempt as she lowered her arms, like the fight was already over.

"Nanto Ujou Ken" she whispered, almost like chanting to herself "You will die a painless death"

Then, the man sword started to fall into pieces: his hands followed, as someone sliced them into tiny pieces with a knife.

"No way, what the hell is going…!"

He could speak no more: his torso, neck and head fell to the ground, reduced to thin slices.

The surviving raider kept pressing the stump against his stomach, as he wailed in terror: he had just seen one of his friends die in the weirdest, most horrifying way. The girl towered over him.

"No, please!" he begged, frantically trying to crawl away from her "Have mercy!"

The girl gazed at him with contempt, but also with compassion.

"Just go" she said.

"Y-yes! Thank you!"

He mounted on his motorbike and fled, running back to the rest of the gang.

* * *

 _One hour later_

In her room, Saya finished dressing up.

"Well, time's up" she cheerfully said to the old man, who was struggling to put his clothes back on "Thank you for paying in advance, I really appreciated it. Now, excuse me, but I need you to leave"

The man got up from the bed. He was still panting.

"Damn, you are _intense_ , girl" he said. "If I keep coming here, I will end up dead"

Saya flinched.

 _End up dead. Right._

In the blink of an eye, she moved a step foward and poked the man's forehead. She injected a dose of ki in his brain, balancing all the ki she had injected during sex to pleasure him.

"Ehm...miss...what might you being doing?"

"Nah, don't you worry about it! It's all going to be fine now" she said, trying to hide her relief as she led him to the door "Come back soon, mister. I'll be glad to have you again"

She closed the door, and sighed.

 _I almost forgot. I almost let him walk out of here without balancing his ki first. In a couple of minutes, his head would have blown up._

She knew why it happened, though: for the first time in six months, she had a lead on Goro and Shun. It was all she had been thinking about; sitting there and waiting for the others to arrive was almost unbearable.

 _Focus on your job, or don't work at all, you idiot! s_ he told herself. _You almost killed an innocent man!_

Then, she heard a sound.

Bells were ringing, echoing throughout the town.

 _Bells?_ She thought, puzzled. _What is this... enemy attack?_

* * *

The girl's name was Reiju.

Being admitted into the village had been easy.

Guards were distrustful towards strangers, but a scrawny girl like her didn't look like a threat to them.

 _They would think otherwise, if they saw what I did to that raider,_ she thought. Remembering how she had killed that man, her heart felt heavy. It wasn't the first time she had claimed a life: she had been forced to do it many times, since the cursed day she had to flee her home.

The guards gave her a bottle of water to recover from the journey.

"That's all you are getting from us" they said "From now on, you'll be on your own. Earn your meals the way you see fit: just don't go stirring up any troubles, or you'll be dealing with us"

 _On my own, uh?_

She put a sad smile on, as she wandered the city.

 _For how long will I be on my own? Will I be running for the rest of my life?_

Suddenly, she heard the bells ring. There was little doubt that they announced an enemy raid.

 _No way...could it be…?_

* * *

A dozen guards reached the gates. On a wooden watchtower, a man was frantically ringing the alarm bell.

"What's going on?" asked the captain.

"It's the Desert Wolves!" shouted the sentinel "They're here in forces!"

"Impossible! We paid our fee last week!"

Arrows flew through the air. The sentinel cried out in pain and fell from the turret, three bolts sticking out from his back.

"This is insane" muttered the captain " Are they planning on exterminating us for no reason at all?"

Then, he tried to get a hold of himself.

"Gather any man who can fight!" he yelled "This time, there's no reasoning with them!"

Then, a loud thud shook the earth.

The wooden gates were sent flying, as an armored truck bursted through them. Raiders poured in, cutting down both guards and civilians. There was no way to resist: one after another, anyone close to the town's gate kept getting murdered.

* * *

The captain was on his knees, pressing his right hand on his wounded left arm, in a fruitless attempt to stop the bleeding.

The Desert Wolves' leader, Zondark, was towering over him.

He was a big man, although not as big as Garth from the Red Scorpions; many scars covered both his face and his chest, proving that he was an experienced fighter that had survived many battles.

"Why..." the captain asked " just why..."

Zondark scratched his cheek, with a grin on his face.

"To prove a point" he said " Or rather...to vent off a bit. You see, I'm pretty angry. Some random girl killed one of my men. I don't know how she did that, but he butchered him like an animal! If you saw what was left of him, you would have pissed your pants"

"A girl…?"

"Yeah, you deaf? A girl. She was headed here. I assume you welcomed her into the village. Now...I want you people to bring her to me. You have an hour to find her. If you don't, my men will start searching for her...and you don't want them doing damage around town, am I right?"

The man could not believe what Zondark was saying.

"Why didn't you just said so from the start?" he asked "Why did you have to attack us first?"

The bandit smiled.

"Come now, how many of your people did we kill? Twenty? Thirty? We were just reminding you your place...but if you don't bring this girl to us, this entire village will burn to the ground!"

Suddenly, a female voice was heard.

"That won't be necessary".

A blonde girl came forward, under the eyes of both bandits and civilians. She was small, and scrawny: about 163 cm tall (5 ft 4). She didn't have any weapons. Yet, her eyes showed a resolve one couldn't find in most men.

"I'm here" she said "If you got a problem, take it out on me. Don't go involving innocent people into this"

* * *

Zondark gazed at the girl: she looked so small. It was ridicolous to think that she had been able to kill one of his raiders: yet, her appearance matched the description his man gave him.

He moved a step forward, blinded by rage: he could have squashed her with a single blow from his mace.

 _No. Calm down._

The fact still remained that she killed a man much bigger than her with some weird trick: it was an unknown, deadly technique.

 _Some martial artists can truly be fearsome,_ he thought. _Better to send my men forward, first._

That's how he had survived so long: he was a ruthless fighter, but when confronted by an unkown threat, he would send his underlings against it. If the situation became dire, he could always flee while his men got butchered. That's what had happened three years before, when most of his gang had been murdered by a Taizan sword user.

"Desert Wolves!" he ordered "Charge her at once, and tear her to shreds!"

Letting out a battle cry, forty bandits came at the girl, holding axes and swords in their hands.

The first two who tried to hit her died almost instantly: she waved her hands in the air, and red lines appeared across their faces. A moment later, their heads fell apart, like sliced watermelons.

Another guy tried to skewer her with a spear; she jumped in the air, like some elegant bird, and landed behind the bandit. Both of the man's arms fell off.

 _As I thought, this girl is dangerous!_

Despite the gruesome way his men were being killed, Zondark grinned. He didn't know what sort of technique the girl was using, but he could judge his opponents' strength, speed and stamina by watching them fight.

 _It's like she's holding some deadly weapon in her hands...but her body can't keep up with it. She has amazing agility and speed, but she's not actually superhuman. She can't do it. She can't win._

* * *

Reiju was fighting with all of her strength. Bandits came at her from every direction; she had never fought so many enemies at once.

She cut through leather armor, muscles and bones; she shattered swords, maces and spears. But they kept coming at her.

 _I must do it,_ she thought. _Otherwise, who knows what they'll do to the people of this town. Maybe, after finishing me off, they'll kill some more villagers, just to vent off frustration ._

She dodged an axe and cut its wielder's throat; but while doing so, a sword cut deep into her left arm. She turned to face the man who had wounded her, and she felt a searing pain in her abdomen. She looked down: an arrow was sticking out of her belly.

 _No way…_

Another raider swung at her: she avoided the blow, but in that moment the flat side of an axe hit her right temple. The wooden shaft of a spear hit her on the back of the head, bringing her down to her knees.

 _This can't be._

Bandits started kicking and stomping on her. Normally they would have finished her off, but they saw her vulnerable, and got cocky. They broke her nose, stomped on her already hurt belly, even cracked some of her ribs.

"This bitch!" a raided uttered, stomping on her head with all of his body weight " She killed at least a dozen of us! Can you believe it?!"

Zondark chuckled.

"Very well" he said "Let's see if we can repay her for what she did to us...I assure you, miss: you're not going to die quickly..."

"Well, well now" a female voice said, making everybody flinch " Isn't this an unsightly spectacle?"

* * *

A small red-haired woman was coming forward, walking on high heels. She looked like she was in her twenties. She was wearing an elegant pink dress, long silver earrings hanging from her ear lobes, and her hair was shaped into a braid reaching down to her waist.

"My, my, so many rotten karmas" she said " I could smell your stench from a mile away"

She was extremely attractive, but what shook everybody was how calmly she was approaching the battlefield: she looked both bored and nauseated, like a noblewoman watching her servants take care of some dirty housework. She felt so out of place, even Zondark didn't know what to make of it.

The woman approached Reiju, who was now being held down by two thugs.

"You should be ashamed" she said "letting yourself be defeated by this kind of _fodder._ Even if you belong to one of the 108 minor Nanto schools, it truly is pathetic. Your young age is no excuse either"

One of the thugs towered over her.

"Uh?" he said "Who's this shortie, now?"

The woman clenched her teeth. The air around her changed, somehow: suddently, she appeared way bigger and menacing than she looked.

"Who're you calling a shortie, you worthless piece of trash?"

She touched him on the belly with the palm of her hand, just under the breastbone: it was a gentle touch. And yet, a couple of seconds later, the man's spine arched backwards and broke in several spots, as bent by an irresistible force. Blood spurted from the thug's mouth; the back of his head was now touching his butt. Everyone held their breath, as the dead body tumbled down.

"W-what…?"

The other guy holding Reiju down was too shocked to even move. The red-haired woman moved too fast for him to react. The next thing he knew, her index had pierced his temple, and was now deeply stuck into his brain.

"She...she put it in!" he screeched _"She put it inside my head!"_

The woman smiled, with a vicious look in her blue eyes.

"If I pull it out, you'll die"

"No way!"

"Shall I?"

"No, wait…!"

But she was already slowly pulling it out. The more she pulled it out, the more the man's head bloated and twisted. When she finally took her finger out of his temple, the thug's head exploded. Minced brain matter scattered all over the ground.

Raiders watched the scene with a mix of incredulity and disgust. She looked at them, and instinctively they all took a step back: she had struck fear into their hearts.

"You..." Zondark growled "Who the hell are you!?"

"Who am I?"

The woman acquired a haughty attitude.

"Very well, I shall introduce myself, since that's just basic courtesy. I'm Roxanne, of the Sinful Fist of the North Star, and I live by one rule: if I see someone with a rotten karma hurt innocent people before my eyes, I never let him live. So, to make it clear, none of you maggots is leaving this place alive. Not a single one"

Zondark was now shaking with anger. He still had almost thirty men to rely on: he could take care of her too.

"Kill her!" he shouted "Kill that red-haired bitch!"

Men were hesitant, but they put faith in their numbers: they charged her at once.

The first five men who got close to her, were all struck in quick succession: she punched them, kicked them, and poked her bodies using just two fingers.

Their screams were so shrill and loud that everybody froze on the spot, stopping the attack.

The men were wriggling in pain, as their bodies started bloating and limbs twisting.

"Somebody, help!" yelled one of them "It hurts! IT HURTS!"

"Oh Gods, it's like having insects eat me from inside!" screeched another.

"It BURNS!" screamed a third one, holding both sides of his swelled up head "IT'S LIKE BURNING ALIVE!"

Then, their bodies exploded, and a crimson rain fell over the earth.

"What is this?" Zondark groaned "What is this...devilry?"

"Hokuto Mugoi Ken: the Merciless Fist of the North Star" the woman explained "I can manipulate my ki to increase a man's pain perception by many fold: any Hokuto techniques I perform will be extremely painful...dying to the average Hokuto fist would be bliss, in comparison".

Zondark was now sweating profusely.

 _Fear?_ He thought. _Has this small woman struck fear even into my heart?_

"Attack!" he yelled "Keep attacking and bring her down, like you did with the blonde one!"

But his men weren't moving.

The woman who called herself Roxanne looked at him with contempt, like he was just a big cockroach.

"Don't give your men orders that you yourself don't have the guts to obey"

Suddenly, she pulled five iron needles out of her braid. She licked them, wetting them with saliva; then she threw them at Zondark, too quick for him to react. They pierced his chest muscles in five different spots. Zondark felt his muscles become stiff as a board, and froze on the spot.

"I...I can't move!" he uttered.

"I'm saving you for last" Roxanne told him "Now, a bit of fun with this fodder"

Raiders took another step back: they were on the verge of fleeing.

"Not coming at me?" the woman said, clearly disappointed "Oh well...sometimes, a girl has to make the first move..."

She jumped at them, covering over 5 meters in a single leap. She descended on them like a hawk, with a devilish grin on her face. Screams were heard once again.

It was carnage.

Heads, necks, bellies and chest were blown up, splattering bowels and brain matter everywhere; limbs and spines were bent and fractured.

Some bandits tried to flee through the gate; she jumped in the air, landing in front of them.

"Leaving already?" she asked " How rude! You can't make a woman wet and leave!"

The woman cheeks were now almost as red as her hair, and she had a feverish look in her eyes: she had now entered a frenzy, enjoying the slaughter to the fullest. Her lust was as intense as the terror in her victims.

"Fuck this, I'm getting out here!" a raider said, as he tried to climb the town's wooden walls.

Roxanne allowed him to climb almost to the top, before wrapping her tongue around one of his ankles and pulling him back to his death.

She threw more needles, hitting everyone who tried to run from her: all targets exploded, as if directly struck by her fists. At some point, while butchering them, she started to laugh: her laughs could even be heard over the screams from pain.

It wasn't long before all screams ceased.

* * *

"H-help me..." groaned the last raider alive, crawling toward Reiju. Half of his face had swollen up, and his tongue was sticking out, horribly bloated, but she was still able to recognize him: he was missing a hand, after all.

 _He's the one I let go,_ she thought. _The one who started all of this._

" _Pleashe"_ he cried _"Pleashe, pleashe, help me...it huuurts..."_

Even while feeling rage and disgust, even while feeling physical pain, Reiju felt compassion for the sorry bastard. She was too hurt to get up, but she struggled to roll over to a side, as the bandit crawled close to her.

"I'm sorry" she said "I've got no knowledge of Hokuto Shinken: I can't save you. But...I can end your suffering"

She waved her right hand in front of him: pressurized blood spurted from the deep cuts that appeared on his face.

"Nanto Ujou Ken" she whispered "Die a painless death"

* * *

Zondark watched the red-haired woman walk to him.

"W-wait!" he uttered " I apologize for attacking you! I should have never picked a fight with someone as strong as you! Please, forgive me!"

"Well, it's true that a maggot like you should have never challenged me... _buuut_ , even if you didn't attack me, I would have still killed all of you, _soooo_..."

"Please, let me live! I'll be your slave from now on!"

"Oh my, no, this won't do" she said "You're not scared enough. Far from it. I can't get _wet_ like this. Let's play a little game"

She grinned.

"See these needles sticking out of your chest? They hit your tsubos. I can send my ki through metal, but water conducts ki better: that's why I wet them with saliva first, although it would have worked almost as good if I didn't"

Zondark listened, sweating profusely.

"So, if I stick these needles just a little bit deeper in your flesh, the pressure points will activate. Three of them will kill you in a horrible, horrible fashion...I'll let you go if you can guess the two non-lethal ones"

"You must be kidding me!"

"Come on, don't be such a downer" she teased him "I'll give you ten seconds: after that, I'll push a lethal one in"

"No, please!"

"...Nine...eight...seven..."

"I beg of you! Please, forgive me!"

"...four...three...two..."

"Ok, that one, that one! That one under the left nipple!"

"Here we go"

She pushed it. The needle sank inside the muscle. Zondark held his breath for several seconds: nothing happened.

"Congrats, you were right!" she said, smiling brightly.

"Oh, Gods, thank you" Zondark groaned, tingling with relief.

"You can't relax just yet! I told you, you must guess both of the non-lethal ones!"

"Uh!? This can't be!"

"I don't expect you to be good with maths, but before guessing the first one, you had 40% chance of survival. Now, you only got 25%. Soooo, you got another ten seconds..."

"Wait, please, wait!"

"...nine...eight..."

"Don't do this to me!"

"...six...five..."

"I'll do anything!"

"...three...two..."

"Ok, that one! That one on the right!"

"Are you _entirely_ sure?" she teased him "Your life is at stake, you know"

"N-no...the other one, that one the left!"

"Ok...here we go!"

She pushed it. Nothing happened.

"I...I did it!"

Zondark was almost crying with relief. Roxanne gave him a bright smile.

"Congrats!" she said "You just managed to pick the most painful of them all!"

"Uh, what…!"

A searing pain started, putting every inch of his body on fire. His ribs and skull bones started to crack. He could feel everything going on in his body: every single bone shard felt like a white-hot razor tearing flesh apart.

"GOOOODS!IT BUUUUURNS!"

"It will take a while" she told him, as she turned her back on him. "Enjoy every second of it"

Zondark cried, and begged, and screamed.

It was only 60 seconds later, that his screams faded into silence.

* * *

"Well, aren't you in a bad shape" Roxanne said, towering over Reiju.

The girl was still holding to the arrow sticking out of her abdomen, afraid of causing a major bleed if she pulled it out.

The red-haired woman knelt beside her.

"It may be your fault for being too weak, but...you still tried to stop those guys from hurting people, so I will help. I may not be as versed in the healing arts as my sister Olga, but I'll do my best"

"We'll lend a hand too"

Roxanne looked up, and her blue eyes widened with surprise: two women stood in front of her, with smiles on their faces.

"Saya-chan! Mai-chan! You're here!"

"Good to see you, Roxanne" Saya greeted her " When we arrived, you were already fighting those guys. We would have helped, but we didn't want to spoil your fun"

Saya knelt beside Reiju.

"You were really brave" she told her "Don't worry, we'll take care of you. What's your name?"

Reiju looked away.

"My name's Angelika" she lied.


	6. Chapter 6: Meet Theresa

_199X_

The girl walks up the hill.

The way up is steep and arduos, but she doesn't show any sign of fatigue: she's just a 14 years old girl, yet she displays an athelitc physique, forged by years of training.

The view is worth the cost anyway: from up there, she can see the beautiful countryside. Even the Temple looks small, down at foot of the hill. It's early in the morning, and birds are singing.

Little she knows, that soon that countryside would turn into a wasteland, and birds would sing no more.

There is a tree at the very top: its giant branches reach out in all directions. In its shadow, a young man sits with his eyes closed, in meditation. Sparrows are cheerfully scampering on his shoulders and lap.

The girl can't help but smile.

To the untrained eye, he would just look like a 16 years old boy sitting under a tree, his long black hair gently wavering in the wind.

But the girl can see that it's not the wind that moves his hair: it's the young man's ki, flowing from him in every direction. She never felt such powerful, gentle ki: until that day, she only got that kind of feeling from her Mistress. That is proof: the boy has grown into a man.

Suddenly the wind raises, for real this time: and the flow in the ki changes.

It's like calm water turning into a torrent: it is being given purpose, direction. The sparrows notice it, and fly away.

The young man gets up, with eyes still closed. He doesn't move: he listens. He _feels._

Leaves come down from the branches, tore off by the wind. They waver in the air, whirling around him.

It all happens in the blink of an eye.

The boy starts poking the leaves, dozen of strikes in just a couple of seconds. They fall to the ground, all with a perfect circular hole in them.

He opens his eyes, and notice the girl.

She's still smiling at him. He returns that smile.

* * *

 _A few months later_

They are running across the city.

He has taken her hand, leading her, almost dragging her: they both have superhuman speed, but he's faster.

A siren is sounding. Around them, people are running. In her panicked state, the girl only catches fragments of what they are shouting.

"Quick, to the shelter!"

"A gas attack near the harbour?"

"The bastards!"

"Damn it, what is the JSDF doing?"

They run down stairs leading to an underground passage. On the last step, she stumbles: he catches her. They keep running.

They reach the fallout shelter a few minutes later: it's crowded with people, but there's still room for them. They both sigh of relief.

The giant, automatic door of the shelter starts to close.

"Wait!"

A middle-aged man is running across the underground tunnel. He's carrying a woman on his back.

"Please, wait!"

"No way!" someone says " The door is completely automatized! It will close no matter what, we can't stop it!"

"Oh Gods" the girl whispers, as he watches the man desperately try to reach them: he would make it in time, if only he dropped the woman on his back.

The boy doesn't say anything.

He just moves a step forward, and releases his ki. A raging blast of energy inundates the room, making the air waver. His muscles tense up, and almost seem to grow bigger under his clothes.

He puts a hand on the metal door.

The door stops moving. Such a giant chunk of metal would easily crush a man, and yet it stops. The girl can see veins popping on the boy's temples, his teeth clenched because of the tension.

The middle-aged man rushes in, and lays down the woman on the floor. She is unconscious, and hardly breathing.

"Is there a doctor?!" he yells, out of desperation "Please, someone help my wife! They flooded our district with gas!"

Someone comes forwards: another middle-aged man, still worn out from the run to the shelter, with ruffled hair and crumped clothes.

The doctor checks her vitals.

"Nothing I can do" he says "She will stop breathing soon"

"What!? Don't just say that! My wife is dying, do something!"

"What could I possibly do!? She inhaled nerve gas! She needs massive amounts of atropine, but we don't have that kind of medicine here!"

"N-no way!"

Once again, the boy doesn't say anything. As the shelter's door finally closes behind them, he kneels beside the woman.

"Hey! What are you doing to my wife!?"

"Please, stand back"

He gently presses two points at the sides of her neck, with just the tips of his fingers. If stroken with violence, those tsubos may activate with deadly effects: but the ki he's injecting is calm and gentle. He then presses two points on the sides of her ribcage. Finally, he pokes a point just under her breastbone. A few seconds later, the woman starts breathing normally.

"Impossible" the doctor says "It's a miracle!".

The girl has been watching the scene from a corner of the room. She's sitting on the floor, and she's shaking.

The young man comes to her. He sits next to her, and put an arm around her shoulders.

"W-what is going to happens to the others, back at the Temple?" she asks " Roxanne, Olga...the Mistress..."

"They are going to be fine"

He speaks in a calm, reassuring tone of voice.

"The Mistress is no fool" he explains "She has surely taken them to safety. I'm certain of that"

The girl's lips are shaking.

"We shouldn't have come here" she says "What were we thinking...going into the city with the country on the verge of war...we should be with them, right now"

"Don't blame yourself. We couldn't have known: nobody expected _this._ They'll be fine"

He speaks like he's absolutely sure of what he's saying; right now, the girl is very grateful for that.

He brushes a strand of her dark, smooth hair and kisses her on the temple. She looks at him with big, scared eyes. Those eyes are telling him one thing.

 _I need you._

He knows. He always knows.

He leans foward.

As the world above them ends, they kiss, while tears start running down her cheeks.

* * *

 _Present times_

The former Red Scorpion member curled-up on the ground, as four thugs kept stomping on him.

"Ehehe, look at him!" one of them chuckled "He's scared shitless!"

" What a scaredy-cat!" another said "His gang gets murdered, and he freaking loses his mind! What a pussy!"

" _You don't understand!"_ the man on the ground groaned, as he covered his face.

" _It was horrible! She punished us for our sins! The Goddes came, and claimed our lives!"_

"What a sad excuse for a raider" replied a third one " Are you trying to make us believe that a _woman_ did that to your group?"

"The Red Scorpions were probably killed by the Desert Wolves" a fourth one commented "Garth was feared because of how big he was, but everybody knows Zondark is the better fighter. Also, he's smarter"

"Let's kill this Red Scorpion bastard and bring his head to Zondark, so we'll finally be able to join the Desert Wolves"

"Yes, but let's take it niiiice and slow. Let's tear his guts out and watch him crawl like the worm he is!"

The four men laughed as they unsheated their knives.

"Leave that guy alone" a female voice said "I need to ask him a few questions"

The thugs turned their heads, and their jaws dropped.

A woman was standing in front of them.

She was pretty tall, around 175 cm (5 ft 9).

She had full pink lips, high cheekbones, bright green eyes, and brown wavy hair shaped into a pony-tail, leaving only a lock that fell on the right side of her forehead. Long silver earrings were hanging from her ear lobes. She was wearing dusty traveling clothes, but even so one could grasp the muscular, yet shapely body beneath them.

"Whoa there!" a bandit uttered "What is a pretty lady like you doing out here, all alone in the wilderness?"

"Look at her body! Eh, I think she's got a D cup"

The woman's jaw tensed. She could feel the lust coming from all four of them.

" What I'm doing is none of your business. Just let me speak with that man"

"Come on, now, miss" one of them said, moving a step closer to her "Don't be so cold. In this dangerous world, travelers like us should help each other out..."

"Help each other out?"

A fierce light appeared in her eyes, making the guy flinch: it was like staring in the eyes of a wild wolf.

"Until now, every guy who said he wanted to help me, actually wanted to rape me. And you...you are planning on raping me right now, aren't you?"

The bandit chuckled.

"Now listen, miss: we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. If you behave, we'll give you some of our food. You must be hungry, after all. So, what do you say? Doesn't that sound nice?"

He moved even closer to her.

"Come here, babe" he said, reaching out to her "Why don't you give me a kiss..."

It happened in the blink of an eye.

She slapped him so hard that the sound echoed against the mountains behind them.

"I'm sorry" she said "I won't sell my body to anyone ever again: I've given up being a prostitute. But even if I still were one, I wouldn't kiss someone like you without taking his life"

The bandit staggered, barely managing to stay on his feet.

"Y-you bitch! How dare you!" he shouted.

In that moment, his cheek started to swell up.

"What...what..."

Before the incredulous eyes of his companions, his face started to expand like a balloon. He brought his hands to his face, as if he could stop his own flesh from bloating.

"SOMEBODY HELP!"

It all happened way too quick: before anyone could even start to process what was going on, his face exploded, with enough strenght to crush his skull into pieces. The man fell on his back, and stopped moving: from the open wound, one could even see his minced brain.

"What the fuck did you do to him, bitch?"

Two other thugs charged at her. She punched them in their stomach, in quick succession.

They froze on the spot, and a moment later their backs started to deform and expand. They blew up with a loud sound, in a spurt of pressurized blood. Shattered ribs and scraps of internal organs splattered everywhere.

"Holy shit!" the last remaining bandit uttered. He turned his back on the beautiful yet deadly stranger, and tried to flee.

She jumped, elegantly turned around mid-air, and landed in front of him.

"Wait!" he said "I didn't pick up a fight with you, did I? The others did. So please, let me go"

"Letting you go? What for?"

The woman moved a step forward; she had fire in her eyes.

"So you can kill more innocent people? So you can rape some other girl? Hell no!"

The bandit was sweating profusely.

"If you refuse to let me go..."

He unsheated his knife and charged at her.

"DIEEEEEE!"

The knife fell to the ground.

The woman had both her thumbs stuck in the man's temples.

"Hokuto Zankai Ken" she muttered "When I remove my thumbs from your pressure points, you'll be left with only seven seconds to live"

"This can't be...please, don't do this to me..."

"Begging is useless: I could never let someone like you live. Your rotten karma tells me everything about your crimes"

"I-I'll change, ok? I'll stop preying on the weaks! I'll work honestly from now on!"

"Too late. Use those seven seconds to repent of your sins"

She removed her thumbs from his temples. He moved a few step backwards, holding the sides of his head.

"No way...this can't be happening to me!"

His face split in two, with a spurt of blood and brain matter. He let out a single screech: then, silence followed.

The former Red Scorpion was still curled up on the ground. He had watched the scene wide-eyed, and couldn't prevent himself from shaking.

"A-another one..." he stammered "Another G-Goddess..."

The woman leaned over him. She grabbed his throat and raised him from the ground.

"Now, _talk!_ " she growled "Who's the Goddess you were talking about earlier?"

"I-I don't know!" he whimpered "She came at us one night, and killed everyone except me! She used the same Fist as you!"

"How did she look like? Did she look European, like me?"

"N-no, she was Asian!"

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know! I only remember the blood...the screams...nothing after that..."

He noticed the menacing look in her eyes, and after a moment of hesitation, he added:

"Wait! Before the massacre, we saw her going North! She was headed to Zaria!"

"I see. So, she's there already"

The woman stared intensely at the bandit.

"I should kill you, you know" she said "Who knows how much blood you've got on your hands. But...I can see why Saya let you live. You must have lost your mind for a while, and even now, you look like a frightened kitten"

She let him go. He landed heavily on his ass and curlep up again, terrified.

"It seems unlikely that you would hurt anyone again" she continued "But just in case, know that if you do, I'll find you...and I'll finish what Saya started".

The woman gave him one last glance; then, she resumed her journey towards Zaria, leaving him behind.

* * *

"How are you feeling?"

Saya, Roxanne and Mai were looking at Reiju, sitting on the bed in Saya's room.

She still had bruises on her face, but her nose was fixed, and she had bandages all over her torso.

"Much better, thanks" she said "Your skills are miracolous...the wound on my belly closed up almost immediately...it still hurts a little bit when I move, but...I think I owe you my life"

"Don't sweat it" Saya said "It's the least we could do. So, you said your name is Angelika, right? And you are a Nanto Sei Ken user"

"Yes. I inherited the Nanto Ujou Ken style from my father, the Merciful Fist of the South Star. It's one of the 108 Nanto minor schools: a Fist that kills the enemy without causing any pain"

"Sounds boring" Roxanne said "Hokuto Ujou Ken at least grants actual pleasure to the victims. They drool, lose their minds and say all kind of stupid things as they die...it's fun to watch. Of course, I still prefer my Hokuto Mugoi Ken"

"I still have to train a lot, before reaching my father's level. My poor skills almost cost me my life. But I got to say...your Hokuto Shinken is as fearsome as the stories tell"

"Have you ever met someone from Hokuto, before?" Saya asked.

Reiju hesitated for a moment, then looked away before answering the question.

"I haven't. My father feared Ken-Oh would come to steal his Fist, as he did with many martial artist. The Holy Emperor, Souther from Nanto Ho-oh Ken, sent a messenger to us, demanding that we would join him. My father contemplated pledging loyalty to Souther, since he was the leading Star of Nanto...but in the end, he refused. He said both the Holy Emperor and Ken-oh were wicked men, and that one day, a Savior would appear and defeat them both. So we just left our home and found a new one, far away in the North"

"Your father was a wise and honest man" Saya said "What happened to him?"

A shadow of sadness appeared in Reiju eyes.

"He died, not too long ago. But I'd rather not talk about it"

"I see"

Saya shrugged.

"Well, you're welcomed to stay here until you recover, Angelika. I don't mind having a guest. I need a bedroom to work, but Mai already agreed to let me use her place while she works at the inn, so that won't be a problem"

"I can pay..." Reiju said.

"Oh, please, like I could take money from someone recovering from fatal wounds. Just know that we won't stay in town long: we got business to do"

The seriousness of all three Hokuto women struck Reiju.

"Man, if only I found a lead" Roxanne complained " I wandered the South-West road till the Dead Sea and back with no results ...it was extremely frustrating. You have no idea how many thugs I tortured to get information...well, I mean, torturing them was fun, _buuut._.."

"Yeah, yeah we know" Saya cut it short "At least Mai found something"

A spiteful look appeared in Roxanne's eyes.

"It was fortunate that it was Mai who found it. If I found _him_ , no matter how much I love Theresa, I couldn't have prevented myself from sending him straight to hell"

Someone knocked at the door.

The inn's owner walked in.

"Sorry to interrupt" he told Saya "A woman just arrived, and asked about a girl with your appearance and your name. She's waiting downstairs"

* * *

The four Hokuto women were sitting at the same table.

"It's good to have you back, Theresa" Saya said "Did you find anything?"

She shook her head.

"I wandered East...no hints about Shun. And no hints about... _him"_

She lowered her eyes: one could clearly see shame lingering in them.

Just seeing her like that, seeing her suffer, made Saya's fists clench.

"Well, we've got something to tell you" she told her "We found _him_. We found Goro"

Theresa flinched and looked up, wide-eyed.

"Did you? Did you really find him?"

"Oh yes. And we're going to pay him a visit"

A cruel light appeared in Saya's eyes.

"That bastard will never know what hit him"


	7. Chapter 7: Meet Olga

In the deserted alley, the man pushed the woman against the wall. He brushed away a strand of smooth, blonde hair and started kissing her on the neck.

"Wait!" the woman uttered "Mister! What are you doing all of a sudden!?"

She was surprised, but her tone of voice didn't exhibit any sign of actual anger. She was _whiny_ instead _,_ like a little girl complaining about being bullied.

The woman had been sending little girl's vibes since she first spoke to him, a few minutes earlier: frankly, that was really turning him on.

If the woman voice and attitude made him think of a young girl, however, her body didn't: she was a woman in her twenties, the most attractive woman he had ever seen.

She was tall, around 173 cm (5 ft 8). Long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, the face of an angel and the biggest tits he had ever laid his eyes upon.

 _She's got an E cup, to say the least!_ he thought, grinning with excitement.

He had been sitting close to the town's walls all morning, still trying to shake off the hangover from the night before, when that blondie had walked throught Zaria's gates.

She had looked around, like she was lost. Then, she had made eye contact with him and walked to him.

"I'm sorry, Mister" she had said "May I ask you where the closest inn is? I need to find my friends"

The man could not let that beauty slip from his hands. He had raped women before, but no-one this attractive. On the top of that, that girl looked really dumb: it's like the Gods themselves where blessing him with such a fortunate encounter.

"Sure" he said "I'll accompany you there"

"Really? Oh, thank you so much Mister! I have a really _baaad_ sense of direction!"

She was excited like a little kid...and he was too.

So, he had led her in a alley, an infamous place where people minded their own business; and now, he was finally groping those first-rate breasts.

"Mister, please, stop!" she cried "This is a grave offense! You don't realize what you're getting into!"

 _Oh, I know exactly what I'm getting into!,_ he thought, as he violently twisted the woman's right breast. She moaned with pain, but also with pleasure.

At that point, her left hand moved.

She poked him on the glabella, right between the eyes. A weird, warm sensation spread from that point to all of his body. The man was so puzzled that he immediately let her go.

"What was that?" he asked.

She looked at him with a regretful expression on her face. She bowed her head, as if asking for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, Mister!" she uttered "I really am! I didn't actually want to do that! But you know...that was a _really bad_ touch...I acted by reflex, so..."

 _What the hell is she talking about?_ He thought. Then, he noticed.

His right forearm and hand were moving on their own.

They bent and twisted. His fingers' joints bent to an unnatural degree, with a disturbing, squashy sound. The weirdest thing was, he didn't feel any pain.

"AAAAH WHAT IS THIS?!" he screamed, as his arm was brought behind his back against his will "WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

"Hokuto Ujou Ken" the girl muttered "The Merciful Fist of the North Star. Don't worry, Mister: you'll die in a few seconds, but you won't suffer one bit"

His right leg twisted and broke: instead of feeling pain, a wave of pleasure hit him. It was unlike anything he ever felt in his life: his lust, smothered by terror, got suddendly rekindled.

"No..." he muttered "...I don't want this"

He felt his forehead start bloating. He wanted to scream and ask for help, but waves of pleasure were hitting him in quick succession, making it hard to speak. Hell, it was even hard to _think._

"Wait!" he forced himself to say "I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you where the closest inn is!"

The woman looked pleasantly surprised.

"Really?! Would you really do that for me?" she asked.

"Yes! The closest inn is...it is..."

 _Come on, think straight!_ He told himself, in desperation. _Your life depends on this!_

It was harder than he thought, because a part of him _didn't want_ to tell her: as weird as it may sound, a part of him wanted to feel that overwhelming pleasure until he died.

"Follow the main road till the crossroad...then turn left...then left again...you can't miss it..."

"Oh, thank you!" the woman uttered, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek. Then, she clasped her hands and bowed her head to him.

"Thank you so much, Mister. I shall never forget your kindness: helping me out even after I took your life. You did something bad, but I'll try to not remember you as a bad person. I pray that you find peace in the afterlife".

Then, she turned her back on him and walked away.

"W-wait..." he whispered, with no voice left "Don't leave me like this..."

As even his torso started to twist around, and his head bloated even more, pleasure got too intense.

 _Feels good...too good...I don't even care what happens to me…_

Just before his body exploded, he completely gave in to ecstasy.

* * *

Roxanne and Mai were sitting at the same table. Jake brought them tankards of ale.

"Thank you, Jake" Mai said.

"Don't sweat it" he replied " It's your free day, after all. Just relax and don't worry over a single thing: I'll handle all of the work"

"Oh my, such a cute friend you got there, Mai-chan" Roxanne said, devouring him with her eyes.

Jake blushed and quickly got back to work: of course, he was also scared of her, after what she did to the Desert Wolves.

"Don't tease him, Roxie-chan" Mai reprimanded her " He's still a virgin, you know".

"Well yes, I can tell by just looking at him. Anyway, don't worry...he may be cute, but his karma is _too clean._ It's not like I can go all out on him. What good is sleeping with a man, if you can't have a bit of _fun?_ "

Mai smiled, with a mischievous light in her eyes. That smile always fortold something exciting: Roxanne loved that side of her.

"Maybe we should try out a few inns tonight?" she suggested "See if we find some... _interesting_ guy? You know, someone with the right shade of rotten karma..."

Roxanne chuckled.

"Sounds great. I found someone interesting the first night I spent here. And since we're stuck here anyway waiting for Olga, we may as well enjoy ourselves"

Then, Roxanne got serious.

"Is Theresa still in her room?"

"Yes" Mai said "She needs some time alone"

"I expected her to go find Goro right away"

"It's not going to be easy for her. She's so strong and proud...but exactly because of that, she feels ashamed. She'll need our support in this. She'll face her trauma...and we'll be right beside her. But if we leave Zaria right now, Olga won't find us"

Roxanne leaned back on her seat.

"I guess you are right" she admitted "Let's just hope Olga-chan doesn't get lost. She's got a _really_ bad sense of direction"

* * *

The two guards were looking at the smoking-hot blonde with their jaws dropped.

"Oh, no!" she cried out, as she looked around her with a puzzled expression " I got lost!"

"A traveler" one of them commented "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Chojiro?"

The other guard grinned.

"I think I am, Heiji. We can't let this chance pass"

They were both pretty young, around twenty years old.

They had entered the town's guard only a few months before, but they soon discovered the privileges of being enforcers of the law.

Of course, it's not like they could always do as they pleased: the Captain was very strict. But he had been wounded in the battle against the Desert Wolves, and he was now off duty. If they kept a woman in a cell for a couple of days, then kicked her out of town with some lame excuse, nobody would have known.

They approached her.

"Oh, excuse me, sirs" she said "May you perhaps be town's guards? I'm lost, and I need directions"

"Mmh, doesn't she look suspicious, Chojiro?" one of them said.

"Yes, Heiji" the other replied "Very, very suspicious"

"Suspicious?" she asked, in a submissive tone "I'm sorry, I don't think I understand...I just need to meet my friends...well, they're more like sisters to me..."

"I'm sorry miss" Chojiro said, grabbing her arm "You will have to come with us"

"Uhm, sir, could you please not touch me like that?" she asked "You see, you both have a pretty murky karma...the laws of my Fist don't allow people like you to touch me..."

"What, are you resisting arrest?!" Heiji uttered "Don't you know your attitude is against the laws of this town? Don't you see you are disrupting peace?"

The woman flinched. She looked mortified.

"Am I really doing something that bad?"

"Of course you are! We act on the best interest of this town's people! Just comply with what we say, and stop stirring up troubles!"

"Well, I guess you are right" she said, although still hesitant "You are town's guards, after all..."

They grinned.

"That's more like it. Now, follow us..."

* * *

The man was called Haruki. As he put his clothes back on, he gave a lustful look at the girl sitting on the bed.

"You are amazing, just like I've been told"

Haruki was a loan shark. He hadn't actually killed anyone yet, but he got really close a few times: he was infamous for badly beating up his debtors. Beautiful women were his greatest passion, and he had caught wind of this Saya girl, the new prostitute in town.

 _Who knows,_ he thought, _maybe I'll make her my woman for a little while._

"Thank you for having me" she said "The fee amounts to two silver coins"

Haruki smirked.

"Oh, I'm so sorry" he said "I forgot to bring my money. How thoughtless of me! Well, how about I pay you next time? I'm sure you won't mind"

The woman gave him a cold look.

"Actually, I do. Selling my body is one of my sacred duties: basically, you're doing business with the Gods. If you don't pay up, they'll claim your life as compensation"

"Whaat?" Haruki said, with a menacing look in his eyes "Are you threatening me, you slut?"

Then, pain started.

He grabbed both sides of his head: he could feel bones throbbing back and forth under his hands.

"Oh GODS! WHAT IS THIS!?"

"You know" Saya said "You have a pretty murky karma...it's not pitch-black, so I thought I would spare your life as long as you didn't make any trouble...but it's not like I'll cry for you, if anything bad happens..."

"What!? What do you mean?"

"I manipulated your pressure points during sex. Your head will explode in a few seconds"

"T-this can't be!"

Haruki fell on his knees.

"Please! I'll pay up! I have money back at home! Please, save me!"

Saya moved a step forward and poked his forehead. Pain ceased.

"I didn't actually save you right now, you know" she explained "I just postponed your death. Go home, take the money, and bring them to me: I'll be waiting for you. You got thirty minutes to live. I'll save you when I get my money: not a second before that"

"T-thirty minutes?! But...I'll barely make it in time!"

She looked at him with merciless eyes.

"Then, I suggest you start running"

She didn't need to repeat herself: with a shrill scream, Haruki rushed out of the room, giving in to a terror he had never felt in his life.

In that very moment, Mai walked in. She had a serious expression on her face.

"Saya" she said " Something happened. We think Olga may be in town"

"What!? Where?"

"Jake saw a woman fitting her description walk by the inn. Two guards have apprehended her"

"Shit!"

Saya bit her lower lip. This was typical of Olga, getting into trouble without even realizing it. Of course, she knew how to defend herself: but it was also easy to take advantage of her.

"Where did they bring her?"

"Probably at their barracks. It's not an actual prison, but they got a few cells in the dungeons"

Saya put her sandals on.

"We're going" she declared "Lead the way"

* * *

In the half-light of the dungeon, Olga was sitting on the floor, with chains binding her wrists.

Heiji and Chojiro walked into the cell, with smirks on their faces. Their upper body was naked, and they had sheathed swords hanging from their waists.

"Uhm, sirs, are these chains really necessary?" she asked.

"But of course they are" Chojiro replied "Now, behave, and everything is going to be fine..."

Footsteps echoed in the dungeon. The guards turned their heads.

"Who's there?!"

Two women, an Asian one and one that looked of mixed race, appeared in front of them.

"Who the hell are you?" Heiji asked "How did you get in here?"

"The other guards let us in" the Asian one said.

"Uh? And why the hell would they? We don't know who you are!"

"You may not know who we are, but you should know very well who _she_ is"

The men froze, as they saw the red-haired woman making her appearance. Her silver earrings glistened in the faint light.

"Hello guys!" she cheerfully said, waving a hand at them "Remember me?"

Olga looked relieved.

"Girls! You are here!" she uttered "I had troubles finding you!"

"We know" Saya said "We're taking you out of here"

"Well now" Roxanne said, moving a step forward "You boys got yourselves into _biiig_ trouble...after trying to rape my little sister, I really don't think I can let you leave this room alive..."

Heiji and Chojiro were shaking: when they had arrived at the town's gates to repel the Desert Wolves, they had seen her butchering bandits like animals.

Chojiro put a sword to Olga's throat.

"Don't move!" he shouted "Or your sister will die!"

"Right!" Heiji said, also unsheathing his sword "Stand back!"

"You poor fools" Roxanne muttered.

"Go ahead" Saya said "Kill her, if you think you can"

"What!?" Chojiro exclaimed "Don't you care about her life? We ain't kidding, you know!"

"As I said, kill her if you can" Saya replied "But I'll have you know one thing: out of all us Hokuto users, she's the one holding the most refined skills"

They froze.

"No way...this girl is also..."

"...a Hokuto user..."

"Now, you said you were going to kill her, right?" Roxanne said " You said so, and you can't take it back. Let's play a little game. You guys will swing your swords at her: if you survive doing that, I'll let you go. But if you refuse to do that...I'll personally kill you in the most gruesome and painful way imaginable".

The guards gulped.

They looked at Olga with pleading eyes.

"Please, you won't kill us, will you?"

"Forgive us! We must swing at you, but please, have mercy!"

"Eeh?!" Olga uttered "But, I can't do that! I just can't! The law of Hokuto doesn't allow me to spare any evil man that attacks me with murderous intent...you're so mean, Roxie-chan...can't you just let these guys go?"

Roxanne winked at her and stuck her tongue out, like she was just casually teasing her younger sister.

"N-no way..." Chojiro whispered.

"Please!" Heiji begged " You don't have to do this to us! We are not bandits, we are town's guards! We fought together against Zondark...we are allies, aren't we?"

"But you weren't there" Mai pointed out "I don't remember you fighting to protect this town"

"Also, you may be town's guards, but your karma is almost as rotten as that of the bandits" Saya added "Just how many girls have you raped in here?"

"Only two, I swear to you!" Chojiro cried out.

"You idiot!" Heiji exclaimed "Don't tell her that!"

"I'm getting tired of your whining" Roxanne informed them "I'll count to five. If you don't swing at Olga, I'll personally give you hell. And don't think you can hold back: it has to be a real swing, with enough strength to kill a person. So, here I go: one..."

"Please, don't let these two kill us!" Heiji begged again, addressing Saya and Mai.

The two girls didn't say anything. Saya just stared at them with contempt, while Mai gave them a mischievous smile.

"...two..."

The guards raised their swords. They were shaking, their torso covered in cold sweat.

"three...four..."

" _Have mercy!"_ they yelled at Olga, as they swung their weapons at her.

A white light suddenly brightened the dungeon.

Olga was now covered in glowing ki, her blonde hair dancing in the air. She raised her hands, and the chains binding her shattered into a thousand pieces: in that very instant, two rays of white light hit the guards.

"What..."

Chojiro had felt something weird, as if wind had blown right through him. But he was still alive, and he wasn't feeling any pain.

 _Was I spared…?_

Then, he saw his own leg twist. He struggled to mantain the standing position, as he heard his own bones break in several spots.

"GODS, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MY LEG?!"

Chojiro was staring at him with frightened eyes.

"How is that possible?" he asked "It doesn't look like you are in pain!"

"Idiot!" Heiji uttered "Look at your own arm!"

The man turned his head, and noticed his left arm already wrung on itself.

"Gooods, why!" he cried out.

Olga clasped her hands.

"Hokuto Ujou Hagan Ken" she chanted "I apologize for taking your lives"

Suddenly, a wave of pleasure hit Heiji. He felt an erection growing in his pants. All of his limbs started twisting and breaking: with every broken bone, pleasure got more intense.

"What is this.." he whispered, saliva drooling from his mouth "it feels...so good..."

"Ahahah" laughed Chojiro, as his neck started twisting "feels like heaven!"

"But of course" Saya explained "Olga's Fist allows her enemies to taste heaven, before sending them to hell"

"No way..." Heiji said, struggling to think straight "I...don't want to...die like this..."

Their torso started to expand; the distance between their eyes grew as a lump of throbbing flesh appeared in the center of their faces.

" _Sooo good"_ Chojiro moaned "... _I...want...more..."_

Heiji started laughing, completely giving in to the pleasure.

" _Me too...I also want...more of this..."_

"So, do you still want to be saved?" Mai teased them, with a seductive smile on her face "If you ask me now, I'll save your lives"

They laughed.

" _Who the hell would want this to stop?"_ Chojiro said _"I don't ever care if I die...this feels so...niiiice…."_

As they both reached climax, their upper bodies exploded. Bowels and brain matter splattered on the walls.

"Nice" Roxanne said, with a sadistic grin "They creamed their pants"

"Of course they did" Mai replied "Olga is just _that_ hot"

"Right, right" Saya cut it off "Let's get out of here"

Olga got up from the floor.

"You girls, I missed you soo much!" she said, hugging Saya "And I have a lot to tell you!"

"Do you?"

"Yes!"

She got a serious look in her eyes.

"I've found Shun"

Saya, Mai and Roxanne froze.

"Where!?" Saya asked, grabbing Olga's shoulders.

"A city deep in the North. He became the ruler of it"

"A ruler..."

They stood silent for a moment.

"We'll talk about it once we get out of here" Saya decided "Let's get Theresa too. Mai, we'll go to your place and..."

Saya stopped talking. Her eyes widened.

"Oh" she groaned.

"What?" Mai asked.

"It's...nothing. I just rememberd something. We may need to crash at my room for a while, the one where Angelika is resting. I think...I got your place a little _messy_."

* * *

Haruki rushed into the bedroom.

"I'm here!" he exclaimed "I got your mo-..."

The room was empty.

Fear got the best of him. He was supposed to find Saya, but he had no idea of where to look for her.

In that moment, searing pain started again.  
 _"This can't be!"_

He let go of the coin sack and grabbed both sides of his head. Looking into the mirror, he saw it expand like a ballon, growing bigger and bigger.

The first floor of the inn was crowded with rowdy customers: nobody heard Haruki's last scream of pain and terror.

* * *

The five Hokuto women had all gathered in the room.

Reiju was still in bed, looking at them: they all had fire in their eyes, except for Mai, who just looked determined and focused, and Olga, who was timidly reporting to them.

"The city is called Thorvesk" she explained "It used to be a small japanese village, but it grew bigger and changed name when a certain martial artist came, less than ten years ago. This man became King, and was beloved by all. But a few months ago, Shun came, leading a group of bandits. He challenged the King to a duel, killed him, and claimed the city for himself. He strengthened the army, and started a reign of terror over neighbouring villages. I also heard this: the daughter of the former King managed to escape the city. Shun is searching for her: he wants her head, so he can finally claim the throne with no opposition left"

Everybody looked at Saya, who had lowered her gaze. She had clenched her fists, and was now shaking with anger.

"Shun..." she whispered through her teeth.

"Let's go get him" Roxanne proposed.

"This is Shun we are talking about, not Goro" Mai pointed out "How do you think things will turn out, if we try to fight him? You know that only Saya can handle him"

"That's right" Theresa said "I may be the physically strongest here...and Olga may be the one with the most refined skills...but only Saya has acquired the _Will of the Goddess_ "

"Sorry to interrupt" Reiju said "But are you really willing to fight him? Even if he's from Hokuto, just like you?"

"Yes" Theresa replied "We have reasons. We just don't feel like sharing them with a stranger from Nanto"

"Forgive her rudeness" Mai apologized "We are the ones that started talking of this in your presence, after all. But it's true that we'd rather not talk about it: the burden of that man's crimes weights on our hearts"

"It's fine" Saya said "I got nothing to hide".

She stared intensely at Reiju.

"Shun is the man that murdered our Mistress".

A heavy silence followed.

Then, Saya addressed her companions.

"I'll take care of Shun" she declared "But we'll have to find the Princess first"

"Why?" Roxanne asked, furrowing her brow "Sounds like a drag"

"Because, we can't just ovethrow a King and leave it at that...not even a wicked King like Shun. If we don't put someone in charge, there will be caos: officers of the army may struggle for power, bandits may learn the city is vulnerable and raid it...we must bring order and peace to innocent people, not fear and death"

"In that case" Reiju said "I can help you find her"

She got out of bed and stood in front of them.

"Sorry for deceiving you for so long" she said, bowing her head to them "I didn't know who to trust anymore, and I expecially distrusted people from Hokuto. I only now realize how wrong I was"

She stared them in the eyes.

"My name is not Angelika. I'm Reiju, Princess of Thorvesk, and rightful heir to the throne"


	8. Chapter 8: Rotten Souls of Hokuto

"So, here's the plan"

The six women were gathered around a map, on the table in Mai's room.

Saya pointed her finger at a village.

"This is where we are" she said " and this, far in the North, is Thorvesk, where Shun is. According to Reiju and Olga, he's gained control over these villages, just South of Thorvesk. And here" she added, tapping on a spot in the North-West "is the area under Goro's control. We don't know for sure in which of these villages we'll find him: according to Mai, he goes from town to town, killing and raping to his heart's content"

Every girl had a disgusted expression on their faces. Theresa had clenched her teeth.

"Now, I know we want to get to both of them, but Goro is our number one priority: his movements are much more unpredictable than Shun's. We got no guarantee that he'll stay in that area for long: if he leaves, all the work Mai did these past few months will be for naught. But I also understand Reiju's feelings: she wants to free Thorvesk from Shun's tyranny as soon as possible. So this is what we'll do: we'll follow the road to North-West together. At some point, Reiju and I will go North by ourselves. We'll investigate the villages under Shun's rule, and find a way to enter the city safely.

Reiju asked me to avoid confrontation with Thorvesk army, if possible: men in Thorvesk's castle are bandits that came in the city with Shun, but the rest are just people unwillingly following orders... for the most part"

"What a drag" Roxanne said "Do we have to bother sparing enemies, now?"

"Oh, I killed some of them!" Olga said, with a mortified expression on her face "I'm so sorry! But you know, they all had a very bad karma..."

"Of course it's not like everybody in the army is innocent" Saya said "Some of them probably like Shun as their leader: they also probably enjoy following his cruel orders. We aren't going to spare anyone that enjoys having innocent blood on his hands. Is that alright with you, Reiju?"

The girl nodded.

"You really want to head North by yourselves?" Theresa asked "Saya, you should not face Shun alone"

"It's okay" Saya replied "He can't touch me"

"Now now, don't get too cocky" Roxanne reprimanded her "This is _Shun_ we are talking about"

"If even Roxanne tells you to not get too cocky, then you definitely are cocky" Mai said.

"Don't you girls worry. I have mastered the _Will of the Goddess_ "

"The Mistress had mastered the _Will of the Goddess_ too. She's dead" Mai pointed out.

"Yeah" Roxanne uttered "How the hell did Shun do that?"

Nobody answered. That question had gone unanswered for the last six months.

"He didn't give her time to use it" Saya conjectured "Either the Mistress decided not to use it for whatever reason, or he killed her by suprise. That's the only logical explanation: no Hokuto technique performed by a male user can overcome the _Will_ perfomed by a female user. Anyway, we'll know when we see him: I intend to ask him personally"

* * *

Most of the girls had left Mai's room.

Mai and Jake were sitting on the bed.

"So...you're leaving" Jake said, looking at his feet.

"Yes"

"And you don't know if you'll ever come back"

"That's right"

"I..."

Jake had an anguished look in his eyes. He was struggling to tell her something.

"Mai, I...these past days with you..."

"Shhh" Mai said, putting a finger on his lips "You don't have to tell me anything. Come here"

She put an arm around his neck. Jake froze, pale and wide-eyed. She dragged him close to her and kissed him.

Then, she put his right hand on her breast.

"Do you like me?"

"Y-yes..."

"Do you want me?"

"I..."

She put a hand between his legs.

"This is the only thing I can do for you" Mai whispered "Think of this as a farewell gift..."

"This is..." Jake muttered "...no, Mai, _stop it!_ "

He pushed her away. Mai stopped, with a surprised expression on her face.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"N-no, it's just that..."

He looked intensely at her.

"Mai-san, I like you. I _really_ like you. Doing it like this...as a farewell gift...it's not how I want to do it. What I want is for you is to like me. Also...I don't want to say farewell"

Mai stared at the wall at the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry" she said "I don't think I can reciprocate your feelings. I'm no good with those. I never had romantic feelings for anyone: I only know sex. My Mistress taught me how to please a man, according to the Hokuto tradition: that's all I've been doing ever since"

Jake stayed quiet for a moment. Then:

"I know!" he said "Let's make a deal!"

"A deal?"

"Yeah! If you ever come back to Zaria...let's go on a date together"

"A date?"

Mai was clearly perplexed.

"Yes! I know a place!" Jake explained "There's a small hill in the north part of the village, near to the town's walls. You've been in Zaria only for a few days, so you've never been there. The view is gorgeous. When you come back, let's go watch the stars, and spend the evening together"

Mai smiled.

"Sounds nice" she said.

"Good" Jake said " Then, it's a date. I'll wait for you"

* * *

Theresa was standing outside the inn, with her back againsts the wall.

She had her eyes closed.

The sun felt nice on her skin. Too bad the sun could not warm her up inside. Sometimes, that man's words echoed over and over again in her head.

 _(Theresa, please...I'm no good...only you can help me…)_

 _(Yes! THIS is the relief I was looking for!)_

"Are you ok?"

Theresa opened her eyes. Saya was looking at her with apprehension.

"Yes. I was just...remembering"

Saya got closer to her and gently touched her arm.

"We'll get to him" she said "I promise you. We'll get to him"

"It doesn't matter"

Theresa gazed at her with a sad look in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter if we kill Goro" she said "and it doesn't matter if we kill Shun. We can't change what happened. Our lives are never going to be the same"

Saya stood silent for a moment.

"I won't deny that" she finally said "But whatever happens to us from now on...I'll be by your side"

* * *

Pain. The man only knew pain.

Pain during the day. Pain during the night. On some nights, he would wake up in his bed and scream at the top of his lungs.

Sometimes, his abilities were enough to keep the suffering at bay. Some other times, no technique or remedy were of any use: he could only _endure_.

Right now, his face was hurting. He could feel it, like a thousand needles embedded in his flesh, even though he was almost at the climax of pleasure.

He was having sex with four women. Three of them were shaking, barely managing to hold back tears. Only one was smiling: a beautiful blonde woman, with a terrible scar on the left side of her face. He had disfigured the most beautiful women with brute violence, but he wasn't responsible for that: instead, he had often kissed that scarred face gently.

"Come on" he growled at the woman on top of him "You're not trying hard enough"

"I'm sorry, Goro-sama"

"What's that frightened look you got, uh?! Are you frightened of my face? Is that it? Does my face disgust you so much, you freaking whore?!"

"N-no...that's not true...Goro-sama, please..."

The man grabbed both sides of the woman's head. He squeezed it, with superhuman strenght. Blood spurted through his fingers: one eye and a clump of brain matter splattered on the floor.

The scarred woman laughed, while the other two looked terrified.

Goro looked at them.

"Uhm, not in the mood anymore? Well, it doesn't matter. Your time is up anyway"

The head of one of the girls expanded and exploded. The breasts of the other one started to bloat to an excessive degree.

"N-no, please, I'll be good, I promise to do good..." she begged, with tears running down her cheeks. In the very moment her breasts exploded, the scarred woman slit her throat with a knife.

Goro and the last remaining woman were now completely covered in blood. They kissed passionately, and started to make love to each other.

"Ayako" he whispered in her ear "You're the only person I have left. The only thing that keeps this pain at bay"

Then, he remembered their faces: Saya, Theresa, their Mistress Yasmine...all looking at him with contempt.

 _I'll kill them,_ he thought. _I swear that someday I'll kill them all!_

* * *

At the first floor of the inn, the six women were having dinner.

"Do we really have to depart at dawn?" Roxanne asked "You girls are so strict. I had hoped to sleep a little more in the morning"

"Now now, Roxie-chan" Mai reprimanded her "Don't be so lazy. We have been getting up before daybreak for _years._ Disclipine is required to defeat our enemies"

"Forgive me" Reiju said "But...can you really do it?"

They all looked at her.

"Don't get me wrong" she continued "I've seen what you're capable of. The way Roxanne-san fought...it was amazing. Also, terrifing".

Roxanne cracked a smile: she had a thing for flattery.

"But the man called Shun...he's beyond amazing. I watched him fight my father. My father was so much stronger than me: I'll have to train for _years_ to even get close to his level. His Nanto Ujou Ken had gone undefeated for over a decade. And yet...that young man from Hokuto was in a whole new league. He killed my father in an instant: I could barely follow his movements. Can you really deal with someone like that?"

Saya, who was sitting right next to Reiju, put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry. Even though I could never dream of reaching Shun's level, he still won't be able to lay a finger on me. He will be completely powerless. Such is the fate of a man confronted with the _Will of the Goddess_ "

"Leave him to us and don't worry about a thing, Rei-chan" Roxanne cut it short "So…since this is the last night we'll be spending in Zaria...how about we have a bit of fun?"

"Speak of the devil..." Mai said, looking across the room.

Two drunken men were harassing a woman; she was trying to get away from them, but they grabbed her arms and started to grope her; while doing that, they laughed like they were having the best time of their lives.

"Fuck!" Saya uttered "Seriously, how many molesters are in this town anyway?!"

"Never too few" Roxanne said, with a predatory look in her eyes,

"Girls, can we not?" Saya asked, with an exasperated look on her face.

"Since when do you care for molesters and rapists?" Theresa replied.

"I don't! It's just...I have a lot on my mind right now. Do we really have to do this? Can't we just...I don't know...give them money so they'll go away?"

"They have a pretty murky karma, though" Olga pointed out "I'd like to let them go, but they're definitely baddies...heavens, what a tough decision to make..."

"There's no decision to make" Theresa said, with a fierce look in her eyes "If we let them go today, they'll rape someone else tomorrow. Scum like that never changes. Here, I'll handle them"

"No Theresa" Mai said "Please, allow me to dispose of them. After all, I've grown quite attached to this town's people, and I don't like to see girls molested in my work place. But first..."

She pressed points on both sides of her ribcage. Her breasts slowly expanded, gaining at least one size.

"I thought I would spice things up a little" she said, winking at them.

"You're so good at it, Mai-chan" Olga said "Now they're as big as mine!"

"That's just water retention, though" Roxanne pointed out "Don't flatter yourself"

"Hey, no man has ever complained"

"Pretty hard to complain when your brain is splattered all over the ceiling"

"Well, here I go" Mai said, rising from her seat.

She approached the men, who turned around and dropped their jaws.

"Hey there, lady, nice tits!" they greeted her.

"Thanks" Mai said in coquettish voice "I grew them myself. Is there something I can do for you gentlemen? You both look _soo_ stressed out"

They let go of the girl they were harassing and grinned.

"Let's see...we'd like to fuck all night long. How about that?" one of them said.

"Very well" Mai said "Please follow me. I'll grant your wish"

She took their hands and led them upstairs.

"She's so selfish" Roxanne complained "Keeping all the fun for herself"

"She really likes doing them in pairs" Olga commented.

"Well, they're dead now" Saya snorted "Hell, I almost feel sorry for them. I should have killed them myself: it would have been merciful. Mai's so _fucked up_ "

* * *

" _Aaah what did you do to us?!"_

" _I can't stop! Somebody help!"_

One of the guys was naked on the bed, on all fours. The other one was standing behind him, with his pants dropped: he was violently thrusting his pelvis forward.

" _It hurts! It huuurts!"_ cried out the guy on all fours.

" _G-gross!"_ groaned the other one.

Mai was looking at them with a big smile on her face.

"What's wrong, gentlemen?" she teased them " I thought you wanted to fuck all night long, so I granted your wish. You're going to be fucking for the next nine hours"

" _N-no way"_ said the man who stood behind. He barfed, covering his companion back and head in puke.

"One last thing" Mai added "When nine hours are over, both of your heads will explode. So please, enjoy the time you have left to the fullest"

" _No, please!"_

" _For the love of the Gods, h_ _elp us!"_

Deaf to their begging, Mai got out of the room.

 _This was fun,_ she thought. _I wonder what else our journey has in store for us?_

* * *

The stars shone brightly. In the night sky, the Big Dipper seemed to shine even brighter.

On the terrace at the very top of Thorvesk's Royal Palace, the young man sat with his eyes closed, in meditation. The wind ruffled his long, raven hair. He inhaled the cold air and focused.

His ki exploded all around him, reaching up to the starlit sky.

Aside from that, nothing happened.

The man called Shun opened his eyes, and got up.

 _I still haven't attained it_ , he thought. _Why is that? Is my sadness not enough?_

He looked up, gazing at the Big Dipper.

 _Even so, I still can't see the Death Omen Star._

He cracked a sad smile.

 _I'm sorry, Saya. It appears I won't be allowed to die just yet..._


	9. Chapter 9: Filthy dogs!

"This place sure is lively" Saya muttered, looking around.

The streets were crowded with people. The six women proceeded under the morning sun, making their way through the town. Reiju had covered her face with a veil, revealing only her eyes, just in case Shun's spies reached them.

"Of course it is" Theresa replied "Look how many goods are for sale here: vegetables, wheat, rice...not only food, even handicraft. This town sure has a thriving market"

 _So this is Bara_ , Saya thought, _the place where Aiko was supposed to find a new life._

Saya bit her lower lip. She was still grieving her young friend. Even though Saya had only known her for a day, it was impossible to forget the dreadful fate Aiko met.

 _Forgive me, Aiko. I was too careless. From now on, I will not spare anyone deserving of death. And I will not let a helpless young girl alone ever again._

"Did we really need to stop here?" Roxanne complained, unable to conceal her boredom "We could have reached the next town by tonight, if only we kept going"

"It can't be helped" Mai replied "We need supplies for our journey, after all".

"Let's split up" Saya suggested "Since I and Mai have been working in Zaria, we'll do the shopping. I suppose everyone else is short on cash..."

"Hey! I don't need you to buy me anything!" Roxanne replied, clearly irritared "Besides, I have cash too: dead bandits don't need their money after all..."

Screams echoed through the market.

The women turned their heads, as people around them fled.

Four masked criminals were wreaking havoc, hitting anyone around them with wooden sticks.

"What are they doing? Are they out of their mind?" Theresa asked.

"They look like they are amateurs at what they do, but they are most likely trying to scare people off" Mai answered "This way, they'll be able to steal what they want without being stopped"

Two of the masked men grabbed a young woman by both arms and started dragging her away.

"Or _who_ they want" Mai added "Looks like they are after a peculiar kind of _goods_ "

"Hurray! Finally some action!" Roxanne uttered, as she lunged at them.

"Wait!" Saya said "Something is off with their karmas! Stop them, but don't kill them!"

"Yeah" Theresa confirmed "something isn't quite right"

Roxanne jumped in front of one of them.

"Look at this shortie!" the man exclaimed "She's perfect! Let's take her too!"

A vein popped on Roxanne forehead.

"Who're you calling a _shortie_?!" she growled, before punching the man in the stomach. The masked criminal fell on his knees.

"What a punch...wait, what's going on!? I can't move! I'm paralyszed!"

"You'll be moving again when I decide so" Roxanne explained with a smirk on her face "Otherwise, you'll spend the rest of your life in that position".

"Don't fuck with us!" the others screamed.

Two of them charged at the red-haired girl, but Theresa appeared out of nowhere, bashing their heads together. They fell on the ground, letting out moans of pain.

Saya intercepted the last one, chopping his wooden sticks into three pieces. She grabbed him by the hair and bashed his face into the dust, with no effort at all. After that, she removed his mask: what she laid her eyes upon, was not the face of an experienced criminal, but that of a scared young man.

"What are you...eighteen at best?" she asked "Aren't you a little too young to go committing crimes punishable by death?"

"T-this is none of your business" the boy replied, as he tried to break free from Saya's grasp.

"Come on, don't give me that" she said, with a friendly smile "Normally I would kill a wannabe rapist just like that" she snapped her fingers "No mercy, no second chances, no bargaining. But, your karma seems pretty pure...and I can sense that you're doing this _unwillingly_. Someone is forcing you into doing this...I want to know who, and why"

"Why do you care? Who the hell you think you are?" the boy yelled "Don't think you can go sticking your nose in our business only because you're a little strong!"

Saya sighed.

"I think I'm going to press a tsubo that forces him to talk" she said to the others.

"Oh _please_!" Roxanne exclaimed "That pressure point takes all the _fun_ away! What's the point in interrogating someone, if you can make him talk just by pressing a tsubo?"

"Interrogating? You mean torturing" Mai pointed out.

"Whatever. Here, let me handle him"

Roxanne moved a step forward. She slapped the young man across the face, producing a loud sound. The boy let out a screech, wriggling in Saya's grasp and bringing his hands to his cheek.

"It _burns_! It burns like _fire_! What have you done to me!?"

"Hokuto Mugoi Ken" Roxanne muttered "My technique can increase your pain perception by several times. If I were using just a little more ki, your head would explode"

She slapped him a second time. Then a third. Then, a fourth time.

"Enough!" the boy screamed, holding both of his swollen cheeks. Tears were running down his face.

"I'll tell you everything! Please, _stop!_ "

Roxanne slapped him one last time, for good measure. Then, Saya let him go: he fell on his knees, crying from pain.

"We had to do it" he cried "We had to. He took our families hostages!"

" Who did?" Saya asked.

" That _fat pig_ who's took control of our village! He's called Bussho...he leads a gang of bandits. He owns a pack of dogs...some ugly, huge beasts...he likes feeding people to them! If we don't bring at least a couple of women, our relatives are going to be torn apart by his hounds!"

"Sounds like a nasty guy" Mai commented.

"The women are not for him though" the boy went on "Not all of them, at the very least. He's allowed to have some fun with them, but he needs to collect them and send them to another gang…a gang led by some big shot, a martial artist...I think Goro was his name..."

Everyone clenched their teeth.

"Bingo" Roxanne whispered.

"You come from another village. That means, several hours by foot from here. How were you supposed to deliver the girls to Bussho?" Saya inquired.

"There's a truck waiting for us, parked not far from here. Two of Bussho's men are waiting there. They were supposed to make sure we didn't just abandon our families and escape...as if we would ever do that"

"Good. Lead us to the truck" Saya said, with a merciless smile "Let's go meet these gentlemen"

* * *

On the back of the truck, Goemon was holding down a young girl. She was struggling, but in vain: he pressed her down with all the weight of his body. She let out a moan of pain, as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Does it hurt? Does it hurt?" the man giggled, with a grin on his face. "It's wonderful! I _love it_ when pain lasts the longest!"

"If you love pain this much" said a female voice behind him "then I'll grant your wish"

"What..."

He tried to turn his head, but didn't make it in time: he just caught a glimpse of a long, bright red braid before a hand covered his mouth. He tried to shake it off, but the assailant had superhuman strenght; he tried calling for help, to his companion sitting in the driver's seat, but he could only let out muffled sounds.

Then, his whole body shivered, as he felt two soft lips pressing against his left temple. As the assailant's tongue pierced his skull and stuck deep into his brain, he tried to scream again, but no-one came to save him from his agony.

* * *

Fujimaro was chilling in the driver's seat.

 _I'm sleepy,_ he thought. _Damn, fuck Bussho, that fat creep, sending us to search for girls so early in the morning. What a drag. I need a cigarette._

He took a pack and a lighter from his pocket. He put a cigarette in his mouth: he was about to light it, when his companion, Goemon, got on the truck.

"Finished already?" Fujimaro asked "I thought you were having fun"

He was suprised: he was well aware of Goemon's habits. That creep loved to hear a woman scream for the longest time.

"Fun?"

Goemon was looking in front of himself with a dumb expression on his face.

"Fun? Was I having fun? I can't remember. What was I doing...what was I..."

He screamed all of a sudden, making Fujimaro flinch, and grabbed both sides of his head.

"AAH IT HURTS! IT HURTS! NOW I REMEMBER! THAT WOMAN...THAT RED-HAIRED WOMAN...WHAT DID SHE DO TO ME!?"

Fujimaro watched with widened eyes, as lumps of throbbing flesh appeared all over Goemon's head.

"OH GODS! THAT'S WHY IT HURTS SO MUCH!" the man screamed, looking at his own reflection in the rearview mirror.

Then, his head exploded. Blood and brain matter splattered on the windscreen and upholstery.

"The fuck!?" Fujimaro uttered. He opened the door and fell on the ground. As he got up, he found himself surrounded by beautiful women.

"What..."

One of them, a red-haired shortie, poked his arm with the tip of her fingers. In the point she had touched, a burning pain started.

"GODS!" he cried, rolling across the ground as he held his arm _"What have you done to me!?"_

He had never felt something like that in his entire life: it was like having flesh-eating ants digging tunnels into his muscles and biting into his bones.

"Trust me, we can do much worse" a tall brunette said "You better cooperate, if you don't want to end up like your friend"

 _Like Goemon?! Are these the ones who killed him?_

"What did you do to him, you bitches?!"

The red-haired one stepped on his arm; pain forced another scream out of him.

"That's no way to speak to a lady" she said "Let's be clear on something: _you_ are our bitch now.

You'll do as we say, you understand? Or we'll inflict the greatest pain of Hokuto Shinken upon you"

 _Hokuto!?_ He thought, sweating profusely. _Isn't Hokuto the Fist of that Goro guy!?_

"I'll do whatever you want!" he cried "Please, stop hurting me!"

"Very well" said an Asian girl with a ponytail "Get up"

He slowly stood up from the ground.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"F-Fujimaro"

"Very well, Fujimaro..."

The Asian girl got close, so close he could smell her: she smelled good. She spoke in a soft voice, with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Now listen to what I say. Your life is now in our hands: we _own_ you. By the laws of Hokuto, we should be killing you on the spot...but if you behave, and do everything we say...who knows...maybe, just _maybe_ there's a tiny chance we'll end up sparing your life. So, how about that? Will you be a good boy?"

Fujimaro was now completely terrified.

 _What kind of monsters have I run into?_

"I'll be good, I'll be good! I'll do anything!"

"Good boy!" the Asian one gratified him, patting him on the head "Now, for starters: clean up all the blood your rude friend spilled, and dispose of his body..."

* * *

Bussho was a simple man, enjoying simple pleasures.

Despite his size (7 ft tall, weighing 250 kg) he wasn't a very good fighter. He wasn't very brave, smart or fierce either. He didn't need to be: before the world ended, ten years before, he was the son of a big shot in the Yakuza. His father had kept the group together until he passed away, a couple of years before. He made so that his son would be respected, making him look fiercer than he actually was.

Once, he gave Bussho a couple of prisoners and told him to bash their heads in front of everyone. Bussho gladly did: he had no complaints hitting people bound hand and foot.

But there was another feature that struck fear in his men's heart. Since young age, Bussho had always loved feeding people to his hounds. That alone, made him look like the most brutal chief of any band of raiders.

Bussho had never revealed the true reason behind his behaviour. People thought he was doing it to inspire fear, or that he simply enjoyed watching people get torn apart. The truth was, he enjoyed it at such a deep level, he was ashamed to admit it even with himself. He would have rather died than confess the kind of perverted pleasure he got from watching a person get eaten alive.

Now, Bussho was standing in the small arena he had forced the villagers to build. A big gate allowed vehicles in; many smaller gates, closing the doghouses, led off into it.

"They are late" Bussho said "Damn it, what are Fujimaro and Goemon doing? Oh well. Bring in one of the hostages!"

Two bandits dragged an old man into the arena.

"Ehehe, my hounds are starving" Bussho giggled "Aren't you happy, mister? You are going to feed those poor puppies!"

The old man was shaking, but he didn't beg or cry: he knew his fate was sealed.

"Bussho, you pig" he exclaimed "One day, the Heavens will punish you!"

 _Pig!?_

"HOW DARE YOU!"

He moved a step forward and punched the man in the face, with all the strength of his massive body. The old guy fell to the ground, killed instantly.

"Damn it, I meant to feed him to the dogs while still alive" Bussho muttered.

He had always been like this: he could not control his anger with the weak. He would carefully consider hitting a grown man, but he could not hold himself back against the elderly, women and children.

"Boss, the truck is coming!" a sentinel at the gate informed him.

"Oh, finally. Let them in. For their sake, I hope they brought some hot woman with them"

He said it out of lust, but also fear.

 _I can play as much as I want with captured women, but in the end, I must deliver them to Goro alive...or else, that freaking psychopath will have my head!_

The truck entered the arena and stopped.

Fujimaro was driving, but nobody was in the front seat.

"Hey!" Bussho yelled "What happened to Goemon?"

Fujimaro stuck his head out of the window. He looked strangely pale.

"That asshole disappeared on his own" he said "I lost sight of him. He's probably drunk in some brothel in Bara, right now"

"That idiot. I'll feed him to my dogs!"

One by one, the four young villagers sent to abduct women got off the truck.

"Hey, you there, did you catch any good prey?" Bussho asked.

"Y-yes"

"I hope so. Your families' lives are at stake here, you know. Men, check the truck!"

Two bandits approached the rear of the vehicle. Curtains were hiding the dark space inside.

The face of a beautiful, dark skinned woman appeared behind the curtains.

"Come in, guys" she whispered, winking at them "Let's have some fun"

The bandits got closer and stuck their heads inside.

"Fuck, my mouth's already watering" panted one of them. Then, Mai's hands covered their mouths. Many other female hands grabbed their shoulders, and dragged them in.

Bussho only saw two big, muscular men being pulled inside the truck as they weighed nothing.

Then, muffled sounds came from inside the vehicle.

"Hey, who gave you permission to enjoy yourselves?" Bussho yelled "I want to see the women first!"

In that moment, the wooden side of the truck exploded.

The men flew across the air and landed on Bussho, their heads sinking into his sweaty man boobs.

"What's going on?" he asked, pulling their heads out.

His men looked at him with a completely terrified expression. Then, their heads started to expand and deform.

"Boobs...in my face...fingers...in my head...in my muscles...everywhere" babbled one of them.

"Tongues...in my mouth...in my brain...wrapping all around me..." moaned the other one.

Under Bussho's terrified eyes, their heads exploded.

 _What!? This is the same Fist that Goro uses!_

In that moment, six beautiful women got off the truck.

"Well, that was fun" said the dark-skinned one.

"You're so strict, Rei-chan" said the red-haired one, talking to a girl covered by a veil "Next time, you must have some fun too!"

"Just... _who are you?_ " Bussho yelled "What do you want from me?"

The Asian one looked at him with contempt.

"We are disciples of Hokuto. According to the will of the Heavens, we are here to end your life"

 _Will of the Heavens? Ending my life?_

Bussho was already shaking, but he wouldn't let a few women threaten him so lightly.

"Men! Kill them! Kill those bitches at once!"

Twenty bandits charged ahead, with weapons in their hands. A few seconds later, Bussho wished he never gave that order: it was too much to watch.

Limbs twisted, bodies bloated and exploded: a rain of blood and guts fell to the ground. Some of them wriggled in pain, as if they were burning alive; others, touched by the big-tittied blondie, died with bliss on their faces, moaning of pleasure. It was so disturbing that even Bussho almost threw up.

One last bandit had fallen to his knees, covered in the blood and bowels of his companions. He was shaking, and looked like he was on the verge of crying. He crawled at the feet of the red-haired one. He was so scared, he couldn't even beg: he just hugged her legs, and kept shaking from head to toe.

"Hey girls, look what I found!" the red-haired laughed "A rapist puppy! Can I keep it? Can I keep it?"

"I think you need to castrate him first, otherwise it's gonna be troublesome" the dark-skinned one commented.

"Mmm normally that would be the first thing I'd do, but...look at his karma! It's going _blank!_ We must have traumatized him...what to do, I wonder?"

"Oh, I know" the dark-skinned one said "These people like dogs, don't they? So, let's turn him into a dog!"

She pressed a point on the man's nape. The man's limbs got stiff all of a sudden: he was being forced on all fours.

"Now he'll be crawling like this for the rest of his life. A fitting end, don't you think?" the woman giggled.

"Fitting _and_ merciful" the red-haired commented "And to think that bandits usually call me a merciless monster before...well, before dying a painful death. Now, move along, puppy! We can't feed you!"

The man didn't say anything: he just crawled away as fast as he could.

"Now, let's deal with the boss" a tall brunette said.

 _Fuck…_

Bussho was on his own now.

 _The dogs!_ He thought. _The dogs will buy me some time to escape!_

He ran to the wall, and pressed a red button on it. Gates started to automatically open.

"Hahaha you fools!" he laughed "You'll be torn apart!"

The gates were open, but the hounds did not come out.

"What? What's going on!?"

"Don't you understand?" the red-haired one said "They are afraid. If you were half as perceptive as these dogs, you would have fled as soon as you heard the truck arrive"

"N-no way..."

"Roxanne" said the Asian one with a pony tail "paralyze that pig. I don't want to see him try to run away"

"With pleasure, Saya-chan"

The girl called Roxanne took three big needles out of her braid, licked them and threw them at him: Bussho never had a chance at dodging them. They stuck deep into his man boobs, and all of his body muscles stiffened.

 _I can't move_! _,_ Bussho thought, sweating profusely.

The girl named Saya got closer to him; she stood in front of him, with the same look on her face as if she was looking at a big cockroach.

"Now, I'll have you answer some questions for me"

"Y-yes! I'll tell you everything!"

"You work for Goro, right? Where is he?"

"I-I don't know! He controls a few villages...Forlan, Gehiko, Zeruen...a few days ago, I was requested with some women for a party in Zeruen: not for Goro, though. They were for his right-hand men, the higher-ups of his gang. Sometimes Goro lets them have parties by themselves. They rape and kill the women we send...that's all I know!"

Saya stood silent for a moment.

"Very well" she said "Now that you outlived your usefulness...I'll personally bestow the judgement of the Heavens upon you"

All of the man's humongous body was shaking.

"Have mercy!" Bussho uttered "I'll do whatever you want!"

"Mercy? You dare ask me for mercy? How many people begged for their lives in this arena?"

"I-I don't know what you're t-talking about..."

"Enough playing innocent. It's time to confess your crimes"

She stuck a finger deep into his chest, piercing a thick layer of fat. He felt a strange wave of energy flowing from that point to all of his body.

"Now you'll talk against your will" she explained "So...how many people did you feed to your hounds here?"

"T-thirteen"

"How old were they?"

"Three elderly...eight adults...two children. They were little girls, 7-8 years old"

Saya eyes were filling with tears, tears of rage and disgust.

"You sick fuck" she growled "You sick, sick fuck. What about _before_ building this arena? How many people did you feed to your dogs, in your entire life?"

"I-I don't know" he said "Thirty...maybe forty...I lost count!"

"Why!?" she yelled "Why did you do that?!"

"I-I..."

Bussho forced himself to shut his mouth. He would not talk; he would rather die than talk.

The woman looked impressed.

"Wow. You really must not want to talk, if you're even resisting my power. Too bad, no human can resist me if I get serious"

A new wave of energy spread from her finger to his body, much stronger than before.

Bussho couldn't stop words from coming out of his mouth.

"I-I...get horny...from watching them get eaten" he said, as tears rolled down his cheeks "Expecially when they are little girls...I get a boner and...later, when I'm alone...I think about how they died, and masturbate...sometimes I masturbate for a whole hour, or more..."

Upon hearing those words, Saya covered her mouth with a hand, and started crying harder.

Bussho was also crying. He was sobbing so loudly, the sound echoed in all of the arena.

"Please" he begged "I feel so ashamed..."

"Yes, you do" Saya admitted "You're ashamed, but you don't regret it. Self-pity and regret are two different things. Truth is, doing this makes you happy: that's why you didn't stop doing it, no matter how ashamed you felt"

"I-I din't ask to be born this way! I didn't ask to be a monster!"

"I won't judge for what you are. I'll judge you for what you _did._ I don't care what sort of perverted fantasies people have: as long as they don't hurt anyone, it's their own business. But you had to turn your fantasies into a reality, inflicting unimaginable pain on innocent people. That's why, you are going to pay"

"W-what are you going to do to me?"

"You'll feel the same pain as your victims"

She started hitting him at superhuman speed. She poked points all over his body, sticking her fingers deep into his fat.

"Hokuto: Blazing Hell Fist" she muttered when she stopped.

 _W-what…_

He could feel heat in every spot she hit: the heat increased, becoming a burning pain.

"AAAH WHAT IS THIS!" he screamed "It's like you stuck white-hot iron in my body!"

"In the points I hit, your body temperature will rise up to three times the normal amount" Saya explained "You are literally frying in your own fat"

" _It can be! This smell...this smell is…!"_

"Yes, it's the smell of your own fat getting cooked. Not only that: I struck a pressure point that lets your body emit the smell of your own blood. Now, you smell like a medium rare steak still sizzling in the pan"

" _No way!"_

Slowly, huge hounds started getting out of their doghouses; they mouths were watering.

"To these dogs, accustomed to the taste of human meat, you must smell like a royal treatment!" Saya said.

"N-NO PLEASE!" he begged "Please...your name is Saya, right? I deserve to die, I know I do...kill me if you must. But kill me with your Fist! Make my head explode or something...I don't care how painful it is! Just don't let me get eaten by them...I can't stand the thought of it! I beseech you, Saya, kill me with your Fist!"

Saya looked him in the eyes for a few seconds, assessing the matter. Then:

"No" she said "you don't even deserve to be killed by my Fist"

She turned her back on him and walked away.

" _No, Saya, please! Saya, come back!"_

The hounds pounced on him, and started tearing flesh and fat apart.

It took a few minutes before Bussho's agony was over.

* * *

"Now" Roxanne said "let's deal with _you_ "

Fujimaro was sitting on the ground, terrified. As the red-haired girl got closer, he tried to crawl away.

"Let's see...what kinds of agony should I inflict upon you?"

He hugged Olga's legs.

"Please" he begged "Please help me!"

"Oh, poor guy" Olga said, with sincere compassion in her eyes "I can't spare your life, but I can grant you a rather pleasant death. How about it?"

 _Like hell!_ Fujimaro thought. _I don't want to end up like those guys you touched!_

"Don't even think about it, Olga!" Roxanne reprimanded her "This guy doesn't deserve to die jizzing his pants! Let's hear him scream of pain for the longest time!"

"Wait a second, Roxanne" Saya said. She looked at Fujimaro.

"That party in Zeruen...do you know where it is?"

"Y-yes! I delivered women to them in the past!"

"Very well" she said "You just extended your usefulness. You'll deliver us there as _gifts._ I want Goro's men to have nice suprise"

"Oh, a party! Sounds nice" Mai said, with a mischievous smile on her face.

"I'll stay here, and tend to the hostages" Reiju said "This kind of missions are not my thing anyway"

"Damn, you're _boring_ , girl" Roxanne said.

"As you wish. Now" Saya said, addressing Fujimaro "Do as you're told, and maybe you'll earn your right to live"

"Spoilers: you won't" Roxanne whispered in his ear "By the end of this, you're going to be screaming"

With not a shred of hope left, Fujimaro could only follow the orders and get up on the truck again, venturing further into that never-ending nightmare.


	10. Chapter 10: Beautiful freaks

Goro was in a good mood.

His face was not hurting that morning. The sequence of pressure points he hit everyday on his own body to ease the pain actually worked for once: it was a rare occurrence. He knew he had just a few hours of respite, but he was determinet to get the best out of it.

He left the rundown building he called home and walked down the street, with an arm around Ayako's shoulders. He playfully groped her right breast: she giggled, looked him in the eyes and smiled.

Goro returned that smile: despite the scar running from her left temple to the jawline, she looked beautiful.

Walking by an alley, they saw a bunch of henchmen having fun with some villagers. A man and a little boy were tied to a post: they probably were father and son. The man had two throwing knives sticking out of his face: one in his right cheekbone, the other stuck deep into his nose.

They were crying and begging, while Goro's men were laughing.

Daryl, one of Goro's right-hand men, tossed another knife at the guy: the weapon stuck deep in the man's left eye. The villager didn't let out a single scream: he just let himself hang from the ropes, instantly killed.

"Bull's eyes!" shouted Daryl, as the rest of the gang exulted. Then, he laid his eyes upon Goro.

"Do you want to try, boss?" he asked.

Daryl was a battle-hardened warrior, with a muscular frame and a manly beard, and yet, there was fear and reverence in his voice.

Goro shrugged.

"Nah. It would be too easy for me. But maybe Ayako wants to try"

"Ooh, can I?" the woman said, excited. She grabbed a knife and aimed at the kid, standing around 12 feet from him. The little boy was shaking. She threw the knife, hitting the eye and piercing his brain: the kid stopped shaking at once.

"Whoa, first try!" she exclaimed.

"She's good" Daryl commented "Maybe she'd like to try another game"

"Can I?" Ayako asked Goro "I love these kind of games!"

Goro nodded.

They went around the corner, and laid their eyes upon something new.

A villager was stuck in a hole in the ground, neck deep. A dozen more villagers waited in line, under the threat of Goro's men.

"The game is simple" Daryl explained "You take that big hammer over there, and try to kill these maggots by hitting them on the head. If you kill them with one hit, it's 100 points. We'll take 10 points away for any additional blow"

"Ooh, sounds fun" Ayako said, taking the hammer in her hands "Damn, this thing is heavy"

The villager was terrified. He tried to beg for mercy, but before he could even finish his sentence, the woman brought the hammer down on his head. A large gash appeared on the man forehead, but the villager was still moving.

"Damn it, I'm not strong enough for this" Ayako complained, hitting again. She kept hitting and hitting, until blood spurted all over her clothes and the villager's head was reduced to a pulp. She laughed maniacally towards the end of it.

"0 points" Daryl said "Sorry, Ayako. It took you eleven blows"

"I think I'm more talented in the other game"

She moved closer to Goro, and bit his right earlobe.

"Let's go somewhere intimate" she whispered "Killing makes me horny"

Goro grinned.

"So, we are having a party in Zeruen tonight" Daryl said "Wanna come?"

Goro shook his head.

"I'll pass for today. You see..."

He groped Ayako's ass, making her giggle again.

"I got everything I want right here!"

* * *

Fujimaro opened the door and led the women into the room.

"Here" he said "This is where Bussho prepares the women before sending them to Zeruen"

The room was filled with elegant dresses and any kind of accessories.

"So fancy" Mai commented, checking out a black evening gown "Too bad these clothes are going to get dirty"

"Not bad" Roxanne said, taking a red one in her hands "I usually wear pink, but for tonight I'm going to go bright red! Besides, blood won't stand out so much on it"

"I think blue is more fitting for me" Olga said. She handed a green dress over to Theresa.

"You should wear this. It matches your eyes"

Theresa took the dress and looked at it for a few seconds, conflicted.

Mai noticed it, and approached her.

"Are you really okay with this?" she asked "You don't have to come, you know. We would never ask you to do anything uncomfortable. Why don't you stay here with Reiju instead?"

Theresa shook her head.

"No. If these men rape and kill women, I want to be there. I promise, I won't spoil your fun. I can play my part...for a little while"

Then, she put an uncertain smile on her face.

"But I don't know if I should wear an evening gown. I mean, look at me: I'm way too muscular. My shoulders are too wide..."

"Nonsense. You are a sexy strong woman, and if you wear this dress, those bastards will totally lose their minds. Hell, I'll probably have to hold back myself from jumping you"

Theresa laughed.

"Oh Mai, you'll never change!"

Fujimaro stood by the door as the women started to nonchalantly undress in front of him.

He had never seen such alluring women; he had been fortunate enough to rape a few beautiful girls, but none like that. But right now, Fujimaro was less concerned with his sex life and more with his _literal_ life.

 _Will they kill me if I peek on them? I should probably go._

"Fujimaro!" Roxanne called "Come!"

"Y-yes"

He approached her. She was standing in front of a mirror.

"Help me with the dress"

He stood behind her, trying to avoid eye contact with her reflection; he slowly closed the zipper on her back.

"You like what you see?" she asked, with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Y-you..."

 _If I anger her, I'm dead. If I sound like a pervert, I'm also dead._

"You are incredibly beautiful"

Roxanne laughed.

"Look at you, you can even be gallant, when you want to. Who knows" she whispered "maybe, before the end, we'll have some time alone..."

Fujimaro gulped. Her looks, her perfume, the way she talked: everything about that woman drove him crazy. And, at the same time, he was completely and utterly terrified of her. He felt like a fly trapped in a spiderweb.

Finally, Roxanne lost interest in him. She quietly approached Olga from behind as she was dressing, and jumped at her all of a sudden, grabbing her breasts.

"No fair, Roxie-chan!" Olga complained, in a submissive tone.

"What isn't fair about it?" Roxanne replied with a giggle "Let me have some fun!"

"It tickles, Roxie-chan! You know I hate tickles! You're so mean!"

Fujimaro sighed of relief. Then, he noticed that the veiled woman had finally revealed her face: she was a blonde beauty. Fujimaro had already noticed she had a different look in her eyes than the rest of the them...she looked more _human_ , somehow. She was now standing in the corner of the room, completely disinterested in dresses and accessories.

 _It's now or never._

Fujimaro slowly got closer to her.

"Hey" he whispered when he was close enough "Hey you...please, I beg of you...they want to kill me. Please, help..."

Reiju stared at him with contempt, but also with sadness.

"I'm sorry" she said " I can't help you. If it were up to me, I would simply let you go. But I'm already indebted to these women: I can't ask them to forgive you...expecially considering the kind of crimes you committed"

"C-crimes? What kind of..."

"Oh, don't play innocent. You surely killed and raped people, not just because you were ordered to, but because you enjoyed it. They can tell by your karma, you see. It's no use denying it"

Fujimaro felt a lump in his throat. He was on the verge of crying.

"Then, there's nothing to be done?" he asked.

Reiju sighed.

"If worst comes to worst, don't beg for your life" she advised him "Beg for a quick death. Beg _Saya_ for a quick death. She will probably be merciful enough to grant it to you"

"A quick death? N-no way!"

Reiju gave him a cold look.

"You reap what you sow"

* * *

The truck was ready to leave. Everyone was on board, except for Saya.

She stood in front of Reiju.

"Will you really be fine, here?" Saya asked "Why don't you come along?"

"I'll be okay. I don't like bloodshed anyway"

Reiju stared Saya in the eyes.

"Those men...are you going to kill them all?" she asked.

"Of course we will. You heard what that fat pig said: they rape and kill their victims"

"What about mercy?"

Saya clenched her teeth and stared in the distance.

"Mercy got a friend of mine killed. I had just met her, but I didn't want her to die. She was so young. I should have known those raiders would be back...and I still let them go"

Reiju looked at her own feet.

"I also have something to confess" she said "When I was traveling to Zaria, I let a member of the Desert Wolves go. If I killed him, Zondark would have never known about me: he would have probably blamed some other gang. If I just killed that man, Zondark would have never attacked Zaria, and many villagers would still be alive"

"Then..."

"Still, I don't regret sparing that raider's life. Zondark is at fault for what he did. I won't regret showing mercy to a defeated enemy"

Saya raised her eyebrows.

"But they don't _deserve_ mercy"

Reiju gave her a sad smile.

"Mercy is for those that don't deserve it. Otherwise, we would call it _duty_ "

* * *

Goro and Ayako were sitting in a pub.

Villagers were quietly eating and drinking, avoiding eye contact with them. Goro loved it: he loved the expression of fear on their faces.

 _They need to be afraid,_ he thought, _they need to be much more afraid!_

He deserved that kind of respect: he _earned_ his power, after all. He hadn't been so lucky to be adopted into the Hokuto temple since birth: he had to work his way into it.

 _And now, I got this invicible Fist...in exchange for this hideous face. Damn those girls. Damn them all!_

A young girl, maybe 16 years old, approached the table and started pouring Sake into his glass.

Her hands were shaking: some of it got on Ayako's clothes.

"I'm sorry!" she cried out, realizing the seriousness of her mistake.

"Damn it, girl, what do you think you're doing!?"

Goro stood up and grabbed the girl by the neck.

"Sir, please!" yelled the bartender from behind the desk "I'm sure my daughter meant no harm! Please, forgive her!"

"She disrespected Ayako!" Goro said "She needs to pay. Everybody here, listen well: Ayako is my woman, you hear? You will respect her as much as you respect me! Anybody who dares to insult her, will pay the ultimate price!"

The girl briefly made eye contact with him; she immediately cringed and looked away. Goro felt a blinding rage get the best of him.

"What are you so disgusted of? Do you dislike my face so much!?"

He grabbed both sides of her head.

"You know what!? You look like her. You look like that _Theresa_ bitch!"

He applied force to her head: blood and brain matter spurted from it.

" _NOOOOO, CECIL!"_ the owner of the pub screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Ahahaha, scream your head off if you want, you fool" said Goro, turning around to face the man.

And he froze, wide-eyed.

The bartender was holding a rifle in his hands.

" _Die, you demon!"_

He pulled the trigger. Goro moved. The bulled grazed his left temple.

"Did he dodge?" the man muttered "No way!"

Goro had not dodged. No man, not even that show-off Shun, could actually dodge a bullet. But a Hokuto Shinken user could move out of the way in the spit second the enemy was pulling the trigger.

As the bartender reloaded, Goro ran across the room at superhuman speed. While the man was raising his weapon again, Goro stuck his fingers deep into his throat, reaching deep located pressure points. Bloods spurted from the man's mouth, ears, and eyes.

"Bloated fool..." Goro growled, as the man fell to the ground.

He turned to the villagers all around him, who had gotten up form their seats and were now staring at him with a frightened expression.

"I told you, firearms are forbidden! Whoever is found in possession of a firearm will be put to death! Today, I'll have my men check your homes again...just _pray_ they don't find one!"

 _Damn,_ he thought, passing a hand throught his brown hair, _he almost got me. He could have gotten Ayako too._

Then, he looked up, and find himself looking at his reflection: there was a mirror on the wall behind the desk. He hated mirrors.

The right side of his head was horribly deformed. His forehead and temple were bloated, covered in throbbing veins; his right eye was almost closed, surrounded by swollen flesh.

He punched the mirror, crashing it. Then, he stood still, panting heavily.

Ayako got close to him.

"Look at me: I'm a freak" he said, with a sudden sadness in his voice "The worst part of it is, I have always been a freak, even before looking like one. My Mistress didn't want to admit me in the Temple: she felt obligated to, as she was indebted to me. She and my so called _sisters_ always looked down on me, no matter what I did. I never was _enough._ They only had eyes for Shun, that uptight bastard"

"Don't say such things"

"It's true. You know what? I should have killed Theresa when I had the chance. But I didn't: I wanted her to live...live, and remember, and suffer like I did...it felt like _justice"_

Ayako sighed.

"Look at me" she said.

Goro looked at her, and she brought her hands to his face. She caressed his deformed head.

"You're beautiful. You are strong man who always fought to obtain what he wanted. You managed to get this far. You're beautiful, you hear? And I couldn't be luckier to be by your side"

He caressed the scar on her face; then, he grabber one of her hands and kissed it.

"You're beautiful too, Ayako"

* * *

The sun was setting.

Fujimaro parked the truck in front of a building in Zeruen. A man was sitting on a bench in front of the entrance.

"Oh, if it's not Fujimaro" the man said, as he got up "We were starting to think you wouldn't come. What took you so long?"

"It's Bussho's fault" replied Fujimaro, sticking his head of of the window "He took his time with the girls, so..."

"I hope he didn't _spoil_ the girls" the man said, raising his eyebrows "That pig can get pretty violent. If their faces are ruined, Goro will be very unhappy to hear it"

"O-Of course not! Check them yourself!"

Roxanne, Theresa, Olga and Mai got off the truck, wearing elegant evening gowns. Mai had used a Hokuto technique on herself, and her breasts were now the same size as Olga's.

"Wow" the sentinel gulped "You guys really outdid yourselves this time. You can tell Bussho we are very pleased"

"I-I will"

"Very well. Ladies...follow me"

The man entered the building, without even noticing Saya, who was sitting next to Fujimaro.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Roxanne asked her "It's going to be fun, you know"

"Nah. This time, I'll let you have all the fun. Besides, I want to make sure this _one_ doesn't go anywhere"

Fujimaro gulped, and held the steering wheel more tightly.

"Bye bye, Fuji-kun" Roxanne teased him, blowing him a kiss "We are going to get _so dirty_ when I come back"

Having said that, she turned her back on him and walked into the building. Mai and Olga immediately followed her.

Theresa hesitated for just a moment: she looked very uneasy. Then, she held her head high and entered the building.

"What's wrong with her?" Fujimaro asked, in a desperate attempt to make small talk. Maybe, if he managed to talk long enough with Saya, she would spare his life.

"Shut your mouth. That's none of your business"

Fujimaro flinched, and looked away to avoid eye contact. But a few seconds later, Saya decided to answer anyway.

"Theresa is not comfortable around men anymore. That's why she stopped being a prostitute. Suffice to say, in our group she's the one that suffered the most. That's why she won't show any mercy to scum like them...or scum like you".

Upon hearing those words, a shiver ran down Fujimaro's spine. Through the windscreen he looked at the stars, timidly appearing as the sun went down, and braced himself for the longest night of his life.

Inside the building, the party was about to begin.


	11. Chapter 11: Best party ever!

When the war started and hell broke loose, Daryl was serving his time in jail for armed robbery.

As soon as the country was nuked, police abandoned the prison. Daryl and other inmates broke free, and laid eyes upon the wasteland that Japan had become.

During jail time, he had joined a gang: that, was probably the only reason why he survived. Working as a group, they were able to steal food and water from others: he killed and raped for the first time. In only a few weeks, Daryl had become the man that he was now. But ten years before, when his life as a bandit had begun, he would have never imagined he would come this far.

Now, four women of unearthly beauty had walked into his playground. He was already excited.

Of course, he could not play with _all_ of them: he needed to share them with the others.

Kiel, Motoichi, Nazako, Ryutaro and a few others, all Goro's trusted men, were there to have their share of fun.

 _Joining Goro and earning his goodwill was really a winning move,_ he thought, looking at the women. _Damn, they're way too hot...maybe killing them would be a waste._

But it couldn't be helped: he and the others had certain... _urges_ to deal with. Fucking a woman was one thing...killing a woman after fucking her was fun on a whole new level. A man who joined Goro's gang gets addicted to killing real quick.

"Well well, what fancy guests we have tonight" he greeted them " I'm going to have my subordinates search you for hidden weapons. I hope you don't mind"

Two henchmen started searching them; they hands lingered more than necessary on their curves. One of them violently squeezed and twisted one of the dark-skinned one boobs.

"Oh my, you sure like what you see" she commented, winking at the guy "Maybe, after I'm done with your higher-ups, I'll have some fun with you too"

The man gulped, clearly aroused.

"They're clean" the henchmen stated when they finished searching them.

"Very well" Daryl said "Please, ladies, sit with us. Ryutaro, pour them some wine"

"Well, aren't you well-mannered" the red-haired one said, sitting at the table "It looks like this will be a fun night"

Daryl grinned.

 _These idiots have no idea what we have in store for them._

He sat next to the blonde one: he had judged her to be the one most appealing to his taste.

He put an arm around her shoulders.

"I think I'll choose you" he said, biting her earlobe.

"Umh, mister..." she said, clearly uncomfortable.

"Oh hell no!" the red-haired shortie said, getting up from the chair and sitting in Daryl's lap.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked him in the eyes. He felt bewitched by her bright blue eyes. She looked _thirsty_.

"You are the boss here, right?" she asked.

"Well, I'm Goro's most trusted man"

"I knew it just by looking at you. _Leaders_ are my type, you see. I like to take strong, muscular men...and make them cry, as they were little boys"

Having said that, she kissed him. Her tongue moved in his mouth with expertise: she was an experienced kisser. Not only that, her saliva tasted so _sweet_. It was like tasting some exotic fruit.

"You know what" he said, when she finally let him go "I like your attitude. You have my attention, girl"

They sat at the table for half an hour, drinking and making toasts.

Motoichi and Nazako were happily groping the dark-skinned one, while Kiel and Ryutato were hugging the brunette, who silently drank the wine with a stern look on her face.

She was a bit too muscular to Daryl's tastes, her shoulders looked a little too wide, but she had pretty big tits and she still looked amazing in that green dress that matched her eyes. As for the big-tittied blondie, Satoru and Osamu were laughing at the stupid shit she was saying: she was already tipsy from the wine.

"Olga" the dark-skinned one reprimanded her with an indulgent smile "you know you shouldn't drink so much"

"Come oooon, Mai-chan" Olga giggled "this is a party after all".

She looked at Satoru, who was the youngest among all of them.

"You look cute" she said; she put her arms around his neck and hugged him, bringing his head against her huge breasts. Satoru's face got bright red as he blushed.

"Well, I think we are ready to go" Daryl said, with a mischievous smirk on his face "Let's get this party started!"

* * *

Goro's men had made certain arrangements for that kind of party.

Motoichi and Nazako would remain at the first floor with the dark-skinned woman; Daryl would stay in his rooms at the second floor; Ryutaro and Kiel led the brunette to third floor, while Satoru and Osamu accompanied the big-tittied blondie to the fourth floor. This way, the would all have some kind of privacy to indulge in their little games.

* * *

"Whoops" Olga said, stumbling on her own feet as he walked into the room. Satoru caught her in his arms. She smiled at him.

"Mmm, come here, you" she said in a drunken slur, as she brought his face closer to her and kissed him. At the same time, Osamu started stripping her: her huge breasts popped out in the air. All of her body was perfect.

 _This must be a dream,_ Satoru thought. _I don't even care if I die right now…_

* * *

Daryl led the red-haired girl into a room, walking by a bodyguard standing next to the entrance.

"You stay here. Don't come in unless I call you" Daryl ordered the man.

"Well now" the girl commented upon entering the room "Isn't this shit _kinky_ "

There was a bathtub in the middle of the room. Upon it, chains were hanging from the ceiling.

"These are for the arms" she said, looking at two bigger chains "and this one..."

There was a smaller chain in the middle, with a rope attached to it. The girl pulled the rope down, and the chain went up.

"Ooh, this is for the neck. You like doing some choking, don't you?"

"Well" Daryl said, as he took his clothes off "Let's find out"

He entered the bathtub. He expected the woman to be reluctant to follow him, but she immediately stripped and got in as well.

"Mmm, nice and warm" she said.

Water was up to Daryl's hips, and up to the girl's waist. Her body was slim, but her C-size tits looked really nice on her; her nipples were small, pink and as hard as steel. The freckles on her face and shoulders only aroused him more.

"What, are you into this shit?" he asked her.

"Well, I like to be choked from time to time, but honestly, I prefer to be the one doing the choking"

Daryl smiled. He was liking her more and more.

"I got a proposition for you" he said "Become my woman. How about that? Maybe your friends will be killed, but you don't look like the kind of girl that would mind. You just aim at settling with someone strong, right? Someone that can provide for you. Well, I promise that you'll be eating better than most women in this world"

She smirked.

"Well, what a nice offer. I might just consider it"

"What's you name?"

"Roxanne"

"Roxanne..."

Daryl froze. An alarm bell was ringing somewhere inside him. He heard that name before. Now, that he thought about it, he also heard Mai and Olga's names before. Goro was the kind of man to blabber on and on about those who he hated.

 _Roxanne...a red-haired shortie…_

The girl was smiling at him; it was an evil smile.

"So, have you finally took notice?" she asked "I thought it was weird, that Goro's right-hand man knew nothing about _us_ "

Daryl tried to back away from her, but she quickly pressed a point on his chest. All of his body stiffened: he couldn't move anymore.

"Help!" he yelled "Somebody help!"

The bodyguard rushed in. As the man watched Daryl and the girl standing naked in the bathtub, he looked puzzled: he had no idea of what was going on.

Before he could react, Roxanne's tongue extended like a whip, hitting the right side of his face with a loud sound. The force of the impact sent the man flying: he landed on his ass, in the corner of the room.

"What did you just..." said the bodyguard as he got up, but didn't finish his sentence: all of his body had also stiffened.

"What's going on, I can't move!" he uttered.

"Be a good boy and just watch carefully" Roxanne told him "When I'm done with your boss, you will be next"

She started chaining Daryl's arms to the ceiling.

Daryl was now covered in cold sweat. Until now, only Goro had been able to make him feel that way.

 _Betraying Goro means death. But if I don't betray him, I'll die right now. If I cooperate and she lets me go, I can run far aways, and hopefully escape Goro's wrath._

"You want Goro dead, right?" he said "I can tell you where he is. He spends most of his time in..."

Roxanne's finger stuck deep in his throat, just under Adam's apple. He tried to speak, but couldn't.

"What makes you think I want answers from _you_?" she said " You will talk only when _I_ decide so.

For now, let's have some fun. You're my toy, my treat for the night. Let's see" she whispered, caressing his chest "so many tsubos to press...so many different kinds of pain..."

* * *

Nazako and Motoichi sat on the couch. The girl called Mai was standing in front of them, in her elegant black evening gown.

"Dance for us" Nazako ordered.

"With no music?"

"Ehehe, I have a surprise for you"

He took a box from under the couch. He opened it, revealing a dusty stereo.

"It still works" he explained "We managed to find some batteries"

He pressed a button, and disco music from the early '90s started playing.

"Now, dance"

Mai didn't need to be told twice. She started to sensually move to the rythm: apparently, she enjoyed dancing.

"That's right girl" Motoichi said, clearly excited "Shake that ass!"

She obeyed him. She started twerking in front of his face.

"Yes! More!" the man groaned "I'm loving it!"

At that point, Mai brought her ass against Motoichi's face and started twerking harder. She moved at an almost superhuman speed, with her circle earrings swinging back and forth; she was literally hitting that man with her butt.

"What..." the man said when she stopped "What was that? It kinda hurt, you know?"

"Of course it hurt. I can make my flesh and skin as hard as steel with a simple breathing technique"

Motoichi didn't pay much attention to that nonsense.

"Well, whatever" he said " I like a girl that's a little crazy"

"Let's give your friend his share, then" she said, with a mischievous smile.

She jumped on Nazako's lap; she was on her knees, with her legs spread. Her boobs were now in front of Nazako's face. She kept dancing, moving the hips while on top of him, and she started to move her shoulders back and forth, showering the man's face with hits from her huge breasts.

"Damn it girl, you are weird but I like it" Nazako said.

She got up from the couch; they got up as well.

While dancing, the men started to rub their bodies against her, one from behind, one from the front. They hugged her, holding her tightly. Then, they started to hold her a little too tight.

"Hey, moron, let go" Nazako said "You're hurting me!"

"You let go, idiot!"

"I can't...I can't let go! What is this?!"

"Oh Gods, I can't control my movements anymore!"

The girl smiled.

"I pressed certain pressure points on your faces" she explained "You were so enthusiastic about it, I thought you didn't mind. And you were so eager to hold me, I thought I'd let you hold me till you died. Your bodies will hug me until your bones shatter. Of course, I won't be affected by it: like I said, my breathing technique can make my body as hard as steel. To you, it will be like hugging a stone pillar"

"N-no, it can't be…!"

"Help! Somebody, help!"

* * *

The bodyguard at the first floor didn't hear the screams right away; the music was too loud. When he finally noticed something was wrong, he bursted into the room, just in time to see Motoichi and Nazako's skull explode from the sheer pressure. What remained of their broken bodies fell on the floor with a _splat_. Only the girl remained standing in the middle of the room, covered in blood.

"Ooh, you're the one who groped me earlier" she said, looking at him " I thought you would be eager for more. Come, baby, come..."

The man could not comprehend what he just saw. He could just turn his back on her and run.

He had only moved a few steps away from her, when something slimy and wet wrapped around his face, covering his eyes and mouth.

The man was dragged into the room by Mai's tongue.

Despite the loud music still playing, his screams could be heard up to the second floor, but no-one came to help him.

* * *

"So, how is that? Are you having a fun night?"

Daryl could not speak; he could only cry.

Roxanne had chained his neck too, viciously pulling the rope and choking him from time to time, as she pressed points on his body.

Some areas of his chest looked like they had been scorched by a flame; his blackened, crispy skin was hanging from it; in other points, the skin looked like it had been melted with an acid; in other points, there was no exterior wound, yet the searing pain felt even worse. And she achieved all of that with no weapons, no tools, just with her bare fingers.

The bodyguard paralyzed in the corner was also crying, terrified by the thought of him being next.

"Oh my" Roxanne laughed, looking at the surface of the water "You got an erection from all of this? You really are a weirdo!"

She grabbed his penis; a strange wave of energy spread from that point to all of his body, making his erection painful.

"You know, I could just make your penis explode, but that would be _nooo fun_. And I could make your head explode with a blowjob, but that would be no fun either. Thankfully, the human penis has got a lot of painful pressure points to play with..."

As Roxanne started to stick her fingers in his dick, Daryl wanted to scream, but could only let out suffocated moans of pain.

* * *

In his room at the third floor, Kiel leaned over and landed a big, wet kiss on Theresa's cheek.

He felt her body stiffen, as if she found that touch repulsive.

"Come on, lady, loosen up a bit" he giggled "Why don't you give me a kiss now?"

She gave him a cold smile. A cruel light appeared in her bright green eyes.

"As you wish" she said.

She grabbed both sides of his head and dragged him closer.

Their lips sealed, and her tongue enter his mouth.

Kiel felt something he never felt before: she wasn't just good, she was...something else.

Wherever her tongue rubbed against his, he felt a wave of pleasure reaching deep into his brain. It felt intoxicating. It was enough to drive a man mad.

Then, pain started. His skull bones started to crack.

 _What...what!?_ He thought, as he felt his head expand like a ballon.

"Fuck, man, your head!" Ryutaro exclaimed, too shocked to do anything.

 _It's Goro's Fist!_ , Kiel realized. _She's doing this to me!_

Suddenly, he knew one thing: he was about to die. From bliss, he had been cast into utmost despair.

He tried to push her away with all of his might, but she didn't let go of him. The woman mercilessly held on to him, her tongue still moving like a snake in his mouth. He thought of biting it off, but he couldn't: he couldn't move his jaw anymore.

 _Please,_ he wanted to beg, as pain became unbearable, _please, no more…_

As his head exploded, pain ceased, granting him his final wish.

Ryutaro saw the headless body of his companion fall. It took him a few seconds to realize what happened. The woman, covered in blood, turned her head to look at him, with a stern expression on her face.

"You bitch" he uttered, unsheathing a knife "Die!"

He tried to stab her in the belly, but she elegantly jumped in the air; before he knew it, she was behind him. He felt the searing pain of her knee striking his spine; then, something weird happened.

He fell on his knees, but his spine arched back: his head was almost touching the floor now.

"W-what's happening?" he stuttered "What have you done to me!?"

"You have thirty seconds left to live" she coldy replied "I hit the pressure point Meimon: your own muscles will pull and break your spine with superhuman strength"

"What!? It can't be!"

But she wasn't lying: he felt his own muscles painfully contract, as the back of his head got closer to the floor.

"Oh Gods, no!" he cried out.

"I'm the only one that can save you. If you answer my questions, I'll let you live, I promise"

"Yes! I'll tell you everything!"

"Good. Where is Goro?"

"He spends most of his time in Gehiko. Sometimes, he rides his motorbike to Forlan, or Velko, villages under his rule. He likes to kill and torture people. He's crazy!"

"How many men he's got?"

"Around thirty men in Gehiko...twenty in Forlan...around the same number in Velko..."

"Very well"

"I told you, so please, now save me!"

Suddenly, the woman brought her foot down on Ryutaro's face. She was staring at him with nothing but contempt.

"W-what?" he uttered "But...you promised!"

"Have you ever kept a promise in your entire life?"

The back of Ryutaro's head was now almost touching his butt.

"No way...please...I don't want to die..."

"I bet the girls you murdered in this room didn't want to die either"

"Wait...I'll do anything..."

"Shut up and descend to Hell. Your fate is already sealed"

Ryutaro's spine broke, with enough force to crush even his internal organs. A spurt of blood erupted from his mouth; despite all of this, he didn't die instantly. His agony lasted almost a full minute, before he took his final breath.

* * *

Olga was naked on the bed, on all fours.

Osamu was fucking her from behind; at the same time, she was pleasing Satoru with her mouth.

It would have been great, if their arms and neck had not being twisting and bending unnaturally for the past few seconds.

"The fuck, what is going!?" Satoru cried out, as his arm broke in several spots; instead of pain, he felt waves of intense pleasures hitting him.

"Hell if I know" Osamu replied, drooling as his head turned by 180 degrees "But it feels _sooo good..."_

Olga took Satoru's dick out of her mouth and chuckled.

"Come ooon, don't be so uptight" she cheerfully said, clearly still tipsy from the wine "Since I got to take your lives anyway, I thought I would pleasure you first. I'm a prostitute after all. This will be my atonement"

She placed Satoru's penis between her breasts.

 _This can't be,_ he thought, as all of his sense were numbed by pleasure. _I don't want to die!_

But resisting was futile: he could hardly think straight anymore.

 _Who the hell cares,_ he finally gave up, as his upper body started to bloat, _this feels way too good…_

* * *

If Daryl could talk, he would have asked for death. Roxanne had been torturing him only for a few minutes, but it felt like hours.

"Well, I'm tired of playing with your weenie" she said "Looks like you're ready to talk"

 _I was ready to talk from the start, you crazy bitch!,_ he thought, as tears ran down his cheeks.

She pressed a point on his neck, and he finally felt like a grip loosened on his throat; only the chain choking him was making it a little hard to speak.

"Now, answer my questions, and I'll let you go. Where is Goro?"

"Yes! Goro lives in a building in Ge-"

Suddenly, Roxanne grabbed his testicles and pulled. He felt no pain, but the water in the bathtub turned red. She raised her hand holding something in it, and shove it into his mouth and down his throat, suffocating him. When Daryl realized what it was, he felt like throwing up, but his throat was now completely obstructed.

"You were saying?" Roxanne teased him " I said you need to answer my questions, if you want to live. Stop chewing on your own balls and speak clearly!"

Daryl was on the verge of madness. He tried to spit his own testicles out, but Roxanne pulled the rope, and the chain around his neck got tighter.

"Looks like you really don't want to talk. What a shame. Well then...shall I end this?"

She opened her mouth, and her tongue slowly extended, dripping saliva: it was like a live snake.

It wrapped around his head, his neck, then all of his torso, with the strength of a piton.

Then, pain started.

Every inch of his skin that came in contact with Roxanne's tongue was burning; it was like being covered with a rope drenched in acid. Daryl had no knowledge of ki and pressure points: he had no idea she was injecting his tsubos with blazing energy, making that simple contact unbearable to him.

He only knew it felt like burning alive.

The tongue squeezed him harder, enough to crack his bones; as tsubos activated deep into his body, and his torso and head started to bloat and expand, Daryl lost his mind to pain. A second before exploding, he regretted being born into this world.

* * *

The bodyguard's name was Noburo.

He had been watching from the corner of the room, with tears of terror clouding his eyes. Nothing remained of Daryl's upped body; what was left of him, disappeared in the red water of the bathtub.

Roxanne came out; her naked body was beatiful even when covered in blood. She approached him with a grin on her face.

"Now, I can finally deal with you" she said "But let's undo your paralysis first. I want to watch you wriggle and squeal"

She touched a point on his chest, and the man, finally free, fell to his knees.

"Please" Noburo cried, hugging her legs "Oh please, invincible Goddess, let me live. I'll be your servant, your slave! I'll do everything!"

Roxanne stood silent for a moment.

"What a crybaby. You know what?" she said "Okay. Answer my questions, and you'll be free to go"

* * *

The man was on his back, crawling on the floor in a desperate attempt to get away from Theresa.

She had come out from her room, and killed any man still alive in the building. All of his companions were now dead, carrying the same wounds Goro's victims had on their bodies.

"Please!" he begged "Spare my life!"

"You don't deserve to live"

"I beesech you! I'm ready to do anything!"

"Anything?"

"Anything! But please, give me a way out of this!"

She stared at him with contempt for a second. Then, she picked up a knife from the ground and threw it: it landed on the floor, right between the guy's legs.

"I'll give you one way out" she said" Cut it off"

"W-what..."

"That thing you got between your legs. Cut it off. That's the price you got to pay for raping and killing women. You have to do it by yourself: I won't help you"

"Y-you got to be kidding me..."

But she was dead serious. The bandit had no choice but to take his pants off.

He put the blade against his penis, panting heavily. Long seconds passed.

" _I can't do it!"_ he cried out in the end, tossing the knife away "I just can't!"

Theresa was towering over him with a merciless glare in her eyes.

"You can't cut it off, but you still desperately want to live"

"Yes! Please...oh please..."

"Alright. You can keep your dick, if you like it so much. And you can keep your life. I'll take the rest"

"The rest…?"

"Your hands, that you used to touch and hurt girls. Your tongue, that you lustfully used to taste them. And finally, your eyes...your eyes, that lingered upon your victims' bodies, and filled your heart with desire..."

"N-no" the man stuttered as she leaned over him "N-no, you can't..."

* * *

Theresa looked at the man crawling at her feet: he was now a living mess. He was trying to get up, but his bleeding stumps kept slipping on the floor. His empty eye sockets were also dripping with blood. No matter how much she despised that criminal, she felt some compassion for the poor bastard.

She pressed a point on his back.  
"This will stop the bleeding" she explained "and it will ease the pain. From now on, you are on your own. I don't care if you live or you die"

" _Pleashe...ont liv me ike dish"_ he begged. But Theresa turned her back on him and started to walk away.

" _Pleashe...pleashe..."_

She kept walking, until she could hear his pleas no more.

* * *

Fujimaro was in the driving seat of the truck; in the rearview mirror, he had seen his face go paler and paler, as screams from inside the building reached him through the opened window.

Saya had been silently sitting next to him, looking in front of herself; despite all the screaming they've been hearing, she had not even flinched once.

Fujimaro was on the verge of having a panic attack.

"C-can I get off the truck for a moment?" he asked.

"No, you can't"

"Then, can I smoke? Please, just one cigarette"

"You want to smoke in _here_?"

"Well, the window is open..."

"Fine. Suit yourself. This may be your last wish after all"

He took a pack and a zipper out of his pocket. He put a cigarette in his mouth and tried to light it, but his hands were shaking too much. He tried and tried, to no avail.

Saya was looking at him with a disgusted look on her face.

"Gods, you're pathetic. Here, let me help you out"

She placed her hands over his, keeping them still and allowing him to light the cigarette.

"T-thanks" he muttered.

Saya didn't bother to reply. She kept looking in front of herself, determined to ignore him like she had been doing until now.

A few moments later, Fujimaro burst into tears.

"Damn it, now what!?" she exclaimed.

Fujimaro was sobbing uncontrollably.

"No matter what I do, I'll still be killed in the end, am I right?" he asked.

For some reason, Saya couldn't bear to look him in the eyes.

"Yes" she answered as she looked away "Most likely. Roxanne has already set her eyes on you, and Mai...well, Mai is not the type to let someone like you live"

Fujimaro kept crying.

"You know" he said "That girl...the one that wears the veil all the time...she told me to beg you for a quick death. But I just can't bring myself to do it. I don't want to _die_. I don't want to!"

"Well, I'm sure your victims thought the same thing"

Fujimaro just kept sobbing, unable to reply anything.

"You know" he said after a while "Before the world ended...I wasn't that bad. I had just finished highschool. I didn't manage to enter any good college, but I was looking for a job...I would have managed, somehow. Sure, I stole from my parents from time to time...and I hit my girlfriend once. She broke up with me for that. I felt so bad about hitting her: it seems so silly now. I, a man accustomed to crack a person' s skull without even losing appetite, felt so bad about hitting her I didn't eat for two whole days! I wonder where she is now...she's probably dead...

"But why" he added "Why did the war have to break out? I wasn't a perfect man, but I was no murderer either...I was no rapist..."

"Don't you dare" Saya said, seething with anger "Don't even think about blaming the war for what you did!"

"B-but...it's so easy for you to talk...you're so strong! You have an invicible Fist to rely on...I had to fight...I had to kill, to hurt, to show that I was ready to do anything! If I looked weak, that would have been the end of me!"

"If you just killed and hurt to survive, your karma wouldn't be so rotten. Instead, you took pleasure into doing it. That's why, you'll pay with your life"

Fujimaro looked at the stars through the windscreen.

"Now that the end is drawing near, I'm asking myself: what did I do with my life?" he cried "Nothing good happened after the war...I never felt happy, not for a single day. I just _survived_. So...why can't I just accept my fate? Why do I desperately want to _live_?"

At that point, something inside Saya broke. She felt compassion painfully filling her heart.

"Okay. Here's what we'll do" she said "I'm going to get off the truck, and look away for a while. When I turn my head, the truck will be gone...and you with it"

Fujimaro's eyes widened. He did not dare to believe to what he just heard.

"Am I...are you...are you really..."

"Yes. I'm letting you go. Drive far away, so that we may never meet again. We'll find some other vehicle to come back to Reiju"

"Y-you...thank you...oh blessed girl, thank you..."

He took her hand and kissed it.

"Please" Saya whispered, with a sad look in her eyes "The next time you will be about to hurt someone...remember how I showed mercy to you, and show some yourself"

Having said that, Saya got off the truck.

As the vehicle drove away, she looked up at the stars: the Big Dipper shone brightly in the night sky.

 _Mercy is for those that don't deserve it, uh? I'm sorry, Aiko: it looks like I can't cast away my compassion just yet…_

* * *

" _Very good!"_ Roxanne cheerfully said "You answered all of my questions! Now, as promised, I'll let you go!"

"Oh, my Goddess, thank you!" Noburo exclaimed, as he got up from the floor "I'll be forever thankful!"

As he left the room, Roxanne chuckled.

"I'll let you go...but leaving this building alive, that's entirely up to you" she whispered.

* * *

Noburo could not believe his luck. He ran down the stairs, with his heart racing.

 _I can't believe I'm getting away with it!_

Even though he was just Daryl's bodyguard, he had raped and killed just as much as him; and while Daryl had been given hell, he got away without a single scratch! He only had to beg to get out of it!

That red-haired bitch was a demon, but even she had a soft spot like any other woman!

 _But I can't go back to Goro,_ he thought, as he sprinted across the hallway to the front door. _I'd better split town forever! Fuck Goro, I'll start my own gang!_

Then, he froze. Something was coming toward him: a monster. Only after a couple of seconds, he realized that creature was actually human.

He had almost no skin left: shreds of it were hanging from his neck, his chest, his arms. Muscles were exposed all over his naked body. He had no face either: his nose, ears and eyelids had fallen off.

" _HEEELP_ " he screamed, grabbing Noburo by the arms _"That woman...that big-tittied half-race bitch...what did she do to me!? She just pressed a few points, and my skin started to melt!"_

"Aaaah g-gross!" Noburo screamed with horror "Don't touch me!"

" _Why did I have to grope her boobs!?"_ the skinned man kept yelling _"Why did I have to do that, and lose all my skin!?"_

"Let go, dammit!"

Noburo pushed him away; the man wobbled backwards. Then, he let out a single, high-pitched screech, as his head exploded.

" _What the hell!? What was that devilry!?"_ Noburo uttered, fighting his urge to throw up.

Then, he saw her.

The dark-skinned woman was standing in front of the door, preventing anyone from getting out of that place. Even in that dim light, he could tell she was completely naked, and covered in blood.

She approached him. The smile on her face sent a shiver up his spine.

He couldn't move. He wanted to beg, but no sound came out of his mouth.

* * *

It was only after thirty minutes that Noburo received Mai's permission to die.


	12. Chapter 12: A boy she once knew

_199X_

Saya is lying on the bed, with clothes still on.

Shun is on top of her.

He leans over to kiss her.

He caresses her face, and slowly reaches down to her breasts. He is usually so calm, so composed: no matter what he does, his movements are gentle but steady. Not now, though: right now, his hand is trembling.

He holds her right breast with uncertainty, as if touching some forbidden fruit. He can feel how soft it is through the fabric. Then, he frantically starts to undress her upper body.

He pauses for a moment, looking in her eyes, searching for consent. She smiles, and he resumes tearing her clothes apart.

He kisses her naked breast. His tongue lingers on her left nipple, making her tingle from pleasure.

He raises her skirt; then, he hesitates.

"Go on" she encourages him in a whisper, as her cheeks blush of a faint shade of red "I passed the Mistress' test. I'm ready. I'm now a Goddess of Death...and Love"

He takes her underwear off. His hand slowly reaches between her legs...then, he stops.

He suddenly gets off her, and sits on the bed. He snorts, frustrated, and takes his head in his hands.

"Shun, it's alright!" she exclaims "I want this"

"I can't" he mutters "I'm sorry Saya, I just can't"

She hesitates for a moment. She's just a young girl: she has learned how to pleasure a man, but not how to reach out to him. She slowly places a hand between his legs.

"Here, let me help you out..."

"I SAID NO!"

He violently pushes her hand away.

Then, he just stares at the floor, trembling.

"You still can't, can you?" she asks.

"I'm sorry"

"Is it me? Am I doing something wrong?"

He looks up, and she sees the concern in his eyes.

"You know it's not you. It's _never_ you"

He passes a hand through her hair. She grabs it and kisses it.

"It's okay" she says "It's okay even if we never have sex. I don't care about it"

A gloomy expression appears on his face.

"Well, I do. I care about _you_. Will you really have to...do _that?_ Sell your body to any lecherous old man that comes bringing an offering to the Temple?"

She hesitates before answering.

"It's our duty" she says "It the Law of our Sinful Fist"

"The Law of our Fist..."

Shun gets up from the bed.

"Does the Law of our Fist still stand?" he askes "Even if the world out there has ended? Even if any other law has crumbled?"

Saya nods.

"It's precisely because every other law is gone, that we must enforce the Law of our Fist. We still carry the Sin of our ancestor. As long as our Fist is passed down...as long as mankind survives...our Law will survive too"

"As long as mankind survives..." he repeats.

Shun just stares at the wall in front of him, lost in thought. Then, he looks out of the window: the world is a now desert, and black clouds hover above it.

"I have taken my decision, Saya. I've been thinking about it over and over again...I can't stay here any longer. I must go"

"Go!? Where to!?"

Saya gets up from the bed. She stands in front of Shun, with pleading eyes.

"I've stayed inside the Temple since we left that shelter, months ago. I can't hide here forever" he explains "I must see what is left of the world...there are people in need of help, out there. People I can save with my healing skills...or with my assassin skills"

"Don't go!" she begs "It's a living hell out there! Radioactive rains, no food, no water...only violence. Your place is with us...with your family!We need you here! "

"I already made up my mind. We heard that Kenshiro, the Heir of Hokuto Shinken, has been traveling the wasteland to help the weak. I should do my part too"

Saya bites her lower lip with anger: she knows she can't change his mind.

"Then, I'll go with you"

"No" he shakes his head "You stay here. Protect this place in my stead"

"The Mistress is more than enough to protect the Temple!" she almost yells " I will protect _you_!"

He smiles.

"No, Saya. You will be more helpful here...and my heart will be at ease knowing you're safe. If something were to happen to you, I could never forgive myself. Besides...you know I can protect myself"

She knows. She hates to admit it, but he's right. Saya has no idea how strong Kenshiro actually is...but it's hard to imagine someone stronger than Shun. He's not even 18, yet he's already as skilled as their Mistress.

He puts his hands on her shoulders.

"Please Saya" he begs, looking intensely into her eyes "Protect our sisters. And also protect that idiot, Goro: make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. I'd hate to see something happen to my beloved family"

* * *

 _Present times_

Reiju watched the van enter the arena.

"Where's the truck?" she asked, as Saya and the others got off the vehicle.

"Gone" Roxanne said, with a sulky expression on her face "Together with that Fujimaro guy. Luckily, Goro's men had this van parked in front of their hideout"

"Really? Did that guy escape?"

"Saya _let him go_ "

Roxanne crossed her arms.

"Would you believe that?" she grumbled "I still haven't forgiven her. She knew he was _mine_ "

Saya stretched her arms, totally unconcerned about Roxanne's complains.

"I don't know what she's talking about. I just got off the truck for few seconds, and when I turned my head, he was gone. What can I say? I guess I'm still not an infallible Goddes of Death" she said,winking at Reiju. Reiju remembered the conversation they had the day before, and smiled.

"So...how was the party last night?" she asked.

" _Refreshing_ " Mai answered "I hadn't felt this good in _ages_ "

"I will admit the party was pretty fun" Roxanne muttered.

"My head _huurts_ " Olga moaned "I've drunk _too much!_ "

"We've found out Goro's hideout" Theresa announced "He lives in Gehiko. Forlan and Velko are also controlled by his gang. It's better to split up and search those villages indipendently: innocent people are dying as we speak"

Reiju lowered her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked.

"It's just..."

Reiju forced herself to speak.

"I will be forever grateful for what you did" she said "And I know you are willing me to help me defeat Shun and reclaim Thorvesk. But right now, my people are suffering. I can't follow you on your quest for revenge against Goro. I must venture North once again, and lend a helping hand to my people"

They all stood silent for a moment.

"If you face Shun, you are going to die, girl" Roxanne said.

"She won't die" Saya stated "I will be by her side"

"This again!?" Roxanne exclaimed " Saya, I swear, if you think you can fight Shun by yourself..."

"I _won't_. Relax"

Saya raised her hands in defeat.

" I'm not going to confront him. We discussed this, remember? We said Reiju and I would investigate the villages under Shun's rule, and find a way to enter the city safely. Should I remind you we are trying to _not_ exterminate the entire Thorvesk army? Also, we can't afford to fight hundreds of men _and_ Shun at the same time. I won't do anything stupid, I promise"

"So, this is goodbye for now" Theresa said "I guess we'll meet again before finally dealing with Shun"

"But how are you going to communicate?" Reiju said "Even if we decide for a time and a place, what if a problem arise?"

"Eh, that's why we took _these_!" Roxanne said, taking a box from the rear of the van. Two dusty handheld transceiver were inside. She gave one to Saya.

"Walkie-talkie? No way!" Reiju uttered, wide-eyed.

"Those Goro's men don't need them anymore" Roxanne explained "I mean...the only man we left alive has _no hands or tongue_ left, so..."

Reiju would rather not ask for details.

"Then, it's decided" Saya said "Reiju and I will go North. Since we have a longer journey ahead of us, we'll be the one taking the van"

"You can't _drive_ , you know" Roxanne reminded her.

"How hard can it be?" Saya shrugged "I learn fast"

"It's okay" Reiju said "I can drive. My father taught me"

"Good girl" Saya smirked "Let's go then"

"So, you're not taking part in Goro's punishment, Saya-chan?" Roxanne asked.

"No. I don't want to see his ugly face ever again. He can burn in Hell for all I care"

"Do you want us to deliver a message from you?"

Saya hesitated for a moment. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

 _Tell him I'm sorry. Tell him that I'll try to remember him as the kid from long ago...the kid from that day at the wooden bridge..._

"No" she finally said, with a merciless note in her voice "I have absolutely nothing to tell him"

* * *

Reiju had been driving for almost a hour.

Saya, laying back on the front seat, had taken a yellowed photograph from under her clothes, and was now looking at it with saddened eyes.

All of the Hokuto girls were in the picture. A woman in her forties was also among them, with a gentle smile on her face: a beauty with a shapely body and beatiful brown ringlets that reached down to her shoulders.

A handsome young man was in the middle, with a smirk on his face; he had an arm around Saya's waist.

Reiju glanced at the picture.

"That man..." she asked "...is he...?"

"Yes" Saya said "He's Shun. The man who murdered your father"

Reiju clenched her teeth.

"I need to ask you this" she said "What kind of man is he?"

"Well, maybe _I_ should ask you that" Saya replied "I thought I knew him. I guess I was wrong"

Reiju hesitated a bit before answering.

"He was like...a killing machine. No doubt, no hesitation. He told my father he was going to kill him in a duel and claim the throne for himself...and he did. There was no regret, no compassion in his eyes as my father fell to the ground. He didn't seem to be enjoying himself either...it was like, he was performing a _duty_. He gave me the impression of a man without any heart...without any _soul_ "

Saya kept looking at the picture with a grave expression on her face.

"Shun was...the best person I knew. So strong, so gentle. Everybody looked up to him; even Roxanne, who was so unruly when she was younger, had an absolute adoration for him.

He was the best in everything: both killing and healing techniques. When the world ended, we were together: he saved a woman who had inhaled nerve gas...I would have never been able to do that"

Saya hesitated for a moment, with a lump in her throat.

"He was...the dearest person to me"

Reiju looked at her, in shock.

"Do you mean…?"

"Yes. Shun and I had a romantic relationship, long ago. But not long after the war broke out, everything changed"

Saya looked out of the window as she spoke, gazing at the wasteland.

"A few months after the world ended, he insisted on setting on a journey. He said he wanted to do his part to help people, like Kenshiro-dono...the fool. Had he actually met Kenshiro, Shun would probably have had his Fist sealed. That is the duty of the Heir, after all.

"Anyway, he came back to the Temple a couple of months later. He had a frightened look on his face. I don't think I had ever saw him _that_ scared.

" _I need to be stronger._ I _need to be much stronger than I am now._ That's all he said. I hoped he would open up to me, but he never did.

"Still, I thought I knew what he was so scared of: Ken-Oh was conquering the land. My Mistress said that Ken-oh was most likely Raoh, Kenshiro's elder brother. For a few months, we lived in fear that he might reach the Temple and slaughter us.

"But one day, we received the news: Kenshiro had defeated Ken-Oh for good. The Heir had finally triumphed on his evil rival: we felt so relieved, we decided to celebrate. But Shun didn't celebrate with us.

"When he heard Ken-Oh was dead, I saw something flicker in his eyes... _fear_. Yes, I think it was fear. Like he just saw something ominous coming. Then, he went into his chambers with a gloomy expression on his face, and stayed there for three days and three nights.

"I tried to reach out to him, of course. I wanted to know what was going on: I loved him. But he wouldn't tell me. When he finally got out, he told me our relationship was over.

" _I'm sorry,_ he said. _I've decided to walk on a path on which you cannot follow me._ That's all the explanation I got from him. Needless to say, he broke my heart.

"That happened 9 years ago. From that moment, he acted normal again. He was friendly and gentle to all of us. And, even if I wasn't his woman anymore, he always looked out for me. I could tell, he still _cared_ for me _._ In time, I got over our break-up, and tried to see him as an older brother instead.

"There was just one thing that felt off to us: he started training in secret. Well, he always liked to train by himself before, but it felt like he was _avoiding us_.

"When asked for explanations, he just gave us vague answers with a fake smile on his face. But I could see it in his eyes: a gloomy expression he didn't have a before setting on his journey. Whatever he saw out there, must have not only scared him but also scarred him for life. Now, after traveling the wasteland for the past six months, I'm finally beginning to understand: this world has truly become a living hell.

"Then, six months ago...nobody saw that coming. We caught wind of a band of raiders attacking the village near the Temple. Shun said he would deal with them. He went...and never came back. The following day, we heard he had killed the chief of the raiders, and took control of the gang in his stead. Our Mistress, Yasmine, went to the village to confront him, to ask for explanations...and he killed her"

Saya hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"When we heard of this and rushed to the village, he was gone. That's when we started to search for him: we had no idea of where he went. And now...to think he usurped the throne of a city far in the North, and started to subjugate nearby villages... "

A single tear ran down Saya's cheek.

"This is not Shun" she said, her voice breaking "This is not the boy I used to know. He never had any ambition...he never asked for anything...so _why_..."

"Your Mistress...is she the woman in the picture?" Reiju asked.

"She is"

"Was she like...a mother to you?"

"Not really. My sisters and I were raised by a nun living near the Temple. We considered that woman our mother...she died a short while after the nuclear holocaust, poisoned by radioactivity.

The Mistress was still irreplaceable to us, though. She's the one that picked us up from a orphanage in Tokio, when we still were little kids. Usually, a Sinful Fist Mistress is like a mother to her students...but she decided otherwise. It was for our sake, you see: there are certain... _aspects_ of being a Mistress that would make a mother-daughter relationship hard.

But Shun...it was different for him. He was the first one she adopted, the first of her students.

He was directly raised by our Mistress...Yasmine was like a mother to him. And he _killed her!_ " Saya exclaimed, her nails sinking in the palm of her hands _"_ He murdered his own mother in cold blood! _"_

Reiju looked at Saya, without saying anything. Only her eyes spoke of her doubt.

"Don't you worry" Saya said "The past is in the past. Whatever Shun was to me...it's gone. The boy I once knew is gone. That's why..."

A cruel light flickered in her eyes.

"...I'm going to kill Shun with my own hands"


	13. Chapter 13: Hyakuretsu Ken

199X

The sun has gone down behind the hills.

The moon is shining upon the apocalyptic wasteland.

The Temple, so out of place in that sort of landscape, casts its shadow over the arena.

Theresa is alone, standing in front of a wooden mannequin. She stares at it, taking a fighting stance.

She closes her eyes; she inhales, filling her lungs with the cold night air. Then, she lets out a single battle cry:

"HOKUTO HYAKURETSU KEN!"

Dozens of punches, thrown at superhuman speed, land on the mannequin. The wooden, human-sized doll flys aways, heavily damaged.

Theresa stops; as she catches her breath, she gets closer to the mannequin.

 _Dammit,_ she thinks, as soon as she lays her eyes upon it.

Most of the dents left by her fists are off the marks.

 _I still haven't mastered it._

"Still training at this hour?"

The unexpected voice makes her shudder. Theresa turns around.

"Shun..."

The young man is approaching the arena. Even in the pale moonlight, he's as handsome as ever.

Theresa sees Shun as a brother, but she understands why Saya would have romantic feelings for him: she has told her what Shun did at the fallout shelter. Nobody could help being at least _a little bit in love_ with him.

Still, Saya told her things have been difficult after he returned from his journey into the wastelands: he's been strangely distant, gloomy, and cold at times.

Theresa doesn't know what to do or say to help Saya out, but she sincerely hopes things between them turn out for the best.

"I could ask you the same thing" she says, with a smirk "Are you having trouble falling asleep?"

"As a matter of fact, yes" Shun replies. He looks up, gazing at the moon.

" I'm having a hard time falling asleep these days. I thought a night walk would calm me down"

He then lays his eyes on the wooden mannequin.

"You still have trouble with the Hyakuretsu Ken?"

Theresa averts her gaze, embarrassed.

"Yes. I've memorized the pressure points, but I still can't hit them with 100% accuracy...not while throwing so many punches at that speed...my Mistress told me I'm the physically strongest among my sisters, but...what good is my strength, if I can't hit a pressure point?"

Shun smiles at her, gently.

"You're way too hard on yourself, Theresa. You are 15. You still have many years ahead of you to refine your skills. Honestly, your results are impressive"

"Not as much as yours. You were already a prodigy at 15"

"So what? You are way hard-working than I will _ever_ be. And you are so proud and stubborn, you _always_ get want you want. So, one day, you will inevitably catch up to me. Even if it takes a decade or two"

Theresa cracks a smile. She knows Shun only acts arrogant to tease her: he's actually the humblest person she knows.

 _But in all honesty, I don't know if two decades will be enough to catch up to him,_ she thinks.

"Anyway" Shun continues "Practicing with a mannequin will bring you nowhere. You know you can't just use your eyes to locate pressure points: you must _feel_ them. Any pressure points emits a faint amount of ki. It all comes down to sharpening your senses"

"I know!" she utters "But I can't force the Mistress or my sisters to train with me for hours!"

She lowers her eyes.

"I can't...be a burden to them. I would never have them waste their time only because of how much of a failure I am"

Shun sighs.

"I understand how you feel. Still, you need a living target"

"And what are you suggesting, exactly? Should I just go out into the wastelands, and practice on the first bad guy that tries to mug me?"

Something flickers in Shun's eyes. She can't tell what it is. Is it contempt? Annoyance? Or sadness?

"Even though there are people out there deserving that kind of fate... _no_. I would never suggest that"

"Then what are you..."

" _Me_. Practice with me. Hit my pressure points"

Theresa raises her eyebrows.

"You mean...you will just stand there and _take it_?"

"Sure, why not. I will increase the ki emission from my body, so it will be easier for you to spot your targets. In time, you will be so accustomed to it that you will be able to detect even the slightest ki emission"

For a moment, Theresa thinks he's playing her: but Shun has his arms crossed, and he's looking at her with utmost seriousness.

"Are you INSANE?!" she almost yells. "I'm _not_ using you as a punching bag!"

"Why not? You are not going to inject deadly ki into my pressure points, are you?"

"Of course not. But I'm still going to _hit you._ Shun...I can't control my strength so well. Even when I hold back against mannequins, my fists smash through wood. When I don't hold back, my fists can easily smash through _rock!"_

"Good. I don't want you to hold back. I want you to learn the Hyakuretsu Ken...do you think those from the original Hokuto Shinken lineage hold back when performing it? Don't worry about me: I can make my body as hard as steel, remember?"

"You are still going to get _hurt_ "

Shun shrugs.

"What's a bruise or two? We are martial artists: we are not afraid of pain. Also…I'm the only one that can help you out. You need a living target to practice, and you know I'm the only one in this Temple that can take a beating from you. And _I_ know you would never want to hurt your siblings...not even Goro, no matter how much that guy is pestering you these days"

"B-but..."

"Theresa" Shun says, with a sudden stern look in his eyes "Ken-Oh is conquering the land. If he reaches the Temple, we are done for. Instead of fighting, we will be forced to flee into the wastelands. And you don't know what it's like out there: you _will have_ to be able to defend yourself. I want you to learn Hokuto Shinken: if you refuse my help now, I'll never forgive you"

Theresa doesn't know what to say anymore.

She's proud, but she can't talk Shun out of this: he always gets what he wants, one way or the other.

So, she just nods.

As gratitude painfully fills her heart, and a lump tightens her throat, she nods.

"Good" he says, with a smile "Let's get started then"

* * *

 _Present times_

"So, this is Forlan. It sure took us a long walk"

Theresa wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand.

"I wonder if Roxie-chan and Mai-chan already made it in Velko" Olga said, walking right behind her. They decided to split up, in order to free those villages as soon as possible: they would meet in Gehiko to deal with Goro in a couple of days.

"Uhm, what now, There-chan? Do we really need to take the baddies out? Can't we try to...talk to them first?"

"Well, that really depends on what _kind_ of baddies we'll meet. Since they work for Goro, don't get your hopes up. For now, let's just focus on finding them: I know exactly where to look"

Any group of bandit that ever took control of a village would immediately monopolize the water supply; so, they headed for the well in the center of the town.

They were not disappointed: a group of villagers had formed a line, waiting for their turn to get some water, while four thugs were guarding the well. One of them was a humongous freak, a muscular giant almost 8 feet tall, with a bald head and a thick, messy beard.

 _Is he the boss?_ Theresa thought to herself. _No way: he looks way too dumb. He's probably just a bodyguard._

"Please!" an old man begged "Some water, let me drink some! I'll die!"

"Fuck off, geezer" one of the thugs said "You know the rules: you have to give up something if you want to drink. Either food, gasoline, or money"

"B-but...I can't work anymore...I'm just an old beggar..."

"Then just crawl back where you came from and die!"

The bandit kicked the man to the chest; the old man fell on his back, and with a moan of pain struggled to roll over to his side.

"Die, you shithead!" the thug exclaimed, raising a mace over his head, ready to deliver a fatal blow.

" _Old man!"_ Olga yelled, sprinting forward.

As Olga shielded the man with her body, Theresa sprang into action.

She jumped the bandit, sticking her fingers into both sides of his neck and hitting him right in the face with her knee. The thug tottered backwards, with blood running down from his broken nose.

"H-how dare you!" he exclaimed "Who the fuck are you anyway, you bitch!?"

Theresa gave him a cold look.

" _Koshu Hagan Ken_ " she muttered "You are already a dead man"

The man raised his mace again.

"The fuck are you talking about you bit-EAAARK!"

His head splitted into two simmetrical halves, torn apart by the blood pressure.

The other bandits shuddered.

"What did you do to him, bitch?!" one of them yelled, trying to attack Theresa from behind.

Olga moved, elegant as ever; she just ran past the bandit, too quick for the human eye to track, and the bandit's arm let go of the weapon and twisted behind his back. Theresa finished the job: she just chopped at the man's face, which exploded right after.

" _Ganzan Ryozan Ha"_ she whispered, as the lifeless body fell to the ground.

"Could this be...Goro's Fist?" another bandit said, shaking in his boots.

"Have you finally realized?" Theresa asked "So, are you going to surrender or what? I might just spare your life"

The thug moved a few step backwards.

"Orko!" he said, talking to his humongous companion "This is your time to shine! You gotta keep this bitch busy while I call for back-ups!"

Then, he turned his back on them and fled.

"Should I go after him?" Olga asked.

"No. Let him go. This way, we won't need to look for the rest of the gang: they will be the ones to find us"

As for the giant, he stepped forward. As Theresa predicted, he wasn't the bright type.

"Ehehe" he giggled "Pretty woman...If I kill you, boss will be very happy...I like crashing little people's heads...but first, how about a bit of fun?"

He gazed intensely at her body, drooling from his opened mouth.

"Now listen up, big guy" Theresa said "Try to use what little brain you have left, before I blow it up. I'm even stronger than the man you call _boss_...in short, you have no chance. Surrender now and I'll consider sparing your life, given that you're just a big, murderous retard"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME!?" the man shouted, seething with anger.

He charged at her, shaking the very earth under his feet.

"I'LL CRUSH YOUR LITTLE BONES!"

Theresa took a fighting stance.

She closed her eyes, feeling every bit of ki coming from that brute's pressure points.

She inhaled, increasing her own ki and sending it to her extremities.

Then, she let out a single scream:

" _Hokuto Hyakuretsu ken!"_

It all happened in a couple of seconds.

Her fists sank in her opponent's muscles as they were made of butter. She hit every inch of his body, with enough strength to send him flying. The man landed heavily on his back, and didn't move for a few seconds. Then, he slowly started to get on his feet again.  
"Uhmf. You are a strong little woman. But me, Orko, is too strong for you!"

"Fool" she replied " You had your chance. It's too late to surrender now: you are already dead"

In that moment, the giant's torso and head started to swell up. She could hear the disturbing sound of his ribs and skull cracking.  
 _"What is happening!?"_ the giant man cried out " _Please, Orko apologizes! Please, save Orko!"_

Theresa looked at him with cold eyes.

"No" she simply said.

The humongous body exploded, releasing a rain of blood and guts upon the earth.

The villagers, who had watched the scene with both awe and horror, let out disgusted cries and fled in every direction.

"Good" Theresa said to Olga "Now we wait"

* * *

A few minutes later, four jeeps approached.

Theresa counted a total of twenty-two men, and sighed.

 _Not even enough men to keep me occupied. And if I also take Olga into account...I'd say we can take out even two hundreds of those thugs, so…_

She almost felt bad for the poor bastards, jumping into a fight they had no hopes of winning...almost.

"Everybody halt!"ordered a man, sitting in the front seat of one of the vehicles.

He was a good looking man in his thirties, with a nicely built physique and wearing a metal breast-plate.

He got off the the jeep and looked intensely at Theresa.

"Uhm...you're fitting the description my man gave me. You did this?"

His eyes lingered on the dismembered bodies of his henchmen.

Theresa gave him a sassy smile.

"What if I did?"

The man scratched his chin, with a sinister light flickering in his eyes.

"Well..."

He turned around to face his men.

"Nobody move. I'll have a talk with our guest here"

"Guest?" Theresa repeated, raising an eyebrow "Are you going to treat me like a guest, now?"

"Why not?" the man shrugged "I don't see why we need to fight. It all comes down to finding our mutual interest, am I right?"

"I don't know if we have _any_ mutual interest to begin with. See, I want Goro _dead_...and any single one of his men either dead or gone from this village"

"You want Goro dead, uh?"

The man bared his teeth in a wide grin.

"I can _arrange_ that!"

"...beg your pardon?"

"Why are you so surprised? If you know Goro, then you are aware of how much of a psycho he is. Nobody here is _happy_ to take orders from him. Problem is, he happens to be a terribly _strong_ psycho. I had to submit to his authority as soon as I saw what he's capable of. But the men you see here...they're not Goro's men: they're _mine_. Let me introduce myself: my name's Jerdo, and I'm the chief of this small group of bandits. Well...we were _twice_ as many, before Goro came to Forlan and decided to show off"

Theresa crossed her arms.

"So you _resent_ Goro because you wanted to rule over Forlan all by yourself. Why am I not surprised?"

"Come on, miss: any man on this earth has his own ambitions. So, let's make a deal: how about you become _my woman?_ "

"Here we go again" Theresa snorted, rolling her eyes.

"Now, don't be mistaken, miss" Jerdo said " What I'm proposing, is actually an _alliance_. You are very strong but...Goro is strong too. And Goro has a group of armed men under his command, while you are all alone...unless…don't tell me your gorgeous friend here is _also_ a Hokuto Shinken user?"

Olga opened her mouth to answer, but Theresa was quicker.

"She isn't. Hush, Olga: I got this"

"Well, then you _are_ alone" Jerdo chuckled "So, how about this: you deal with Goro, while my men deal with _his_ men. This should make it easier for you, right? In exchange, you'll let us rule over Forlan. Sounds like a good deal?"

"Mmmh I guess...I still don't see why I should become your woman, though. Why not just propose an alliance?"

"Well, because I _like_ you, that why!" Jerdo exclaimed, getting closer to her "You becoming my woman will make our alliance more solid...we can even share the command over my gang. Don't you want to have soldiers ready to obey your every command? Besides, I think you'll have a good time with me: we are way more similar than you think"

"Oh yeah? How so?"

Jerdo got even closer. The sinister light was still shining in his eyes.

"You like punishing _bad guys_ , right? Well...I like watching bad guys get punished. The way you are able to kill a man...that just _turns me on._ There's nothing I'd like more than hearing a lowlife beg for mercy before his head blows up! That would be quite a _spectacle!_ "

"Wow...aren't you the sadistic type" Theresa commented, trying to hide her contempt.

"Come on, I bet you also _enjoy_ making bad guys explode. Deep down, you are a _naughty girl_ , aren't you? I bet killing them makes you _wet_. And if that's the case...I've a wonderful gift in mind for you. Trust me, you'll be absolutely thrilled about it"

Theresa stood silent for a moment. Then, she smiled.

"You know what? I'm in" she said "I will be your woman, and we'll take down Goro together. Now, I'm just too curious to see what kind of _gift_ you have in store for me"

Jerdo laughed, clasping his hands.

"Now we are talking! Come, come with me, miss...I'm sure you won't be disappointed..."

"The name's Theresa, by the way"

Jerdo put an arm around her shoulders. They got on one of the jeeps.

"Uhm, There-chan..." Olga muttered, definitely confused about what was going on.

"You stay there, Olga" Theresa said "I told you: I got this"

The vehicles started to move, leaving one after the other.

* * *

They reached a run-down building just out of town.

"So, this is your home?" she asked.

Jerdo smirked.

"It's not just my home" he said, as they got off the jeep "It's my _playground_. Hey you!" he yelled at one of his men "Bring them out!"

A few moments later, a dozen men came out of the building.

As soon as she saw them, Theresa had mixed feelings about them: she could clearly feel their rotten karma...but those men had the dead eyes of who has seen Hell.

They had chained hands and necks, and they were covered in all kinds of scars. Some of them were missing an eye, or a few fingers.

"Did you torture them?" she asked.

"Of course I did!" Jerdo answered, with a crazy light in his eyes "Don't feel bad for them: they are raiders we captured. Every single one of them is a thief, a killer, a rapist! They deserve no mercy: and if you really become my woman, they'll be my gift to you!"

"You mean...you want me to _kill_ them?"

"I would _love_ that" the man admitted, drooling from his mouth " That would really be the best kind of foreplay, before we make love to each other"

Theresa put on a cheerful smile.

"Okay. Let's do it!" She said "I'll kill one of them with Hokuto Shinken...after that, I'll be all yours. I'll fuck your brain out"

"Oooh, I look forward to it!" Jerdo chuckled "Pick whoever you like!"

Upon hearing about Hokuto Shinken, the prisoners started to tremble: maybe they had heard of Kenshiro's legend, or maybe they just knew about Goro.

" _Sooo_ " Theresa whispered in a sensual voice, as she got closer to Jerdo "what do you want me to do to them?"

Jerdo was shaking with excitement.

"Whatever you like! Punch them...slap them...kick their balls and make their head explode!"

"Uuh, I can totally do that!" Theresa said, feigning excitement "Now...who should I choose, I wonder?"

She looked at the prisoners one by one. Their karma was rotten, to the point of _nauseating_ her.

"Should it be you?" she said, staring at a young man. "Or you?" she continued, looking at a big man in his forties. She gazed into their pleading eyes: they were absolutely terrified of her.

"Ok, I've chosen. Can I start now?" Theresa asked.

"Yes, please!" Jerdo uttered "I can hardly keep it in my pants anymore!"

"Alright. Here we go"

She punched Jerdo in the face.

The man staggered backwards, too puzzled to react; before he could speak a single word, she slapped him so hard, a few teeth flew out of his mouth.

" _What...what are you doing!?"_

Theresa grabbed him by his throat and lifted him off the ground, like he weighed nothing.

"Men! Stop her! Kill her!" he yelled, but his men didn't move: they didn't want to fight someone who was possibly as strong as Goro.

"What's wrong?" Theresa asked "I thought you _enjoyed_ this. And you told me to pick whoever I like...and I like _you"_

"N-no...this is just a misunderstanding!"

Jerdo let out a nervous laugh. Even though he was too smart to think there was an actual misunderstanding, a part of his mind was desperately holding on to that possibility. He was rejecting the idea of being about to die a gruesome death.

"I like to watch you use Hokuto Shinken on them...not on _me!"_

"Oh yeah? But guess what" she said, with a mischievous smile "You were right: I _am_ a naughty girl. I do enjoy blowing bad guys up. And you can't get a girl wet and then just push her away. What was the next thing you suggested...oh, right: _kick them in the balls, and make their head explode_..."

"Nooo, please!"

Jerdo was crying now.

"I beg of you, spare my life! I was wrong! I'll never hurt anyone again!"

"Yeah, that's the part I prefer" she whispered, with a merciless light in her eyes "It's like you said: _there's nothing I'd like more than hearing a lowlife beg for mercy before his head blows up..._ "

Having said that, her knee sank into Jerdo's groin with superhuman strength.

Both sides of Jerdo's head expanded like a ballon, as he let out a single, high-pitched scream.

Then, the sound of an explosion; Theresa let his beheaded body fall to the ground.

"Fuck, let's get out of here!" one of the bandit yelled, trying to start up the jeep.

"Don't think so!" Theresa said, jumping into the air and descending on them like a bird of prey.

The sound of bones breaking and flesh exploding filled the air, as screams of pain and terror raised up to the sky.

* * *

Theresa looked at the corpses laying on the ground, catching her breath.

In the end, she couldn't forgive Jerdo's men for their crimes against Forlan village.

Then, she turned to face the prisoners, who cowered in fear.

She walked to them, and with every step she took, they grew paler. Some of them fell to their knees, but they were too terrified to even beg.

Theresa reached out a hand; instead of hurting them, she started to break their chains, one by one.

"Now listen to me" she spoke through her teeths " Usually, I would just kill people like you. Your karma is so rotten I could _vomit_. I don't know what kind of crimes you committed...and I don't want to know. I just think that maybe you have already suffered long enough. So, you get this once in a lifetime deal, and you'll be free to go. Just know that, should you ever hurt anyone again, I'll find you...and what I did to Jerdo and his men will be _bliss_ in comparison to what I'll do to you"

The former raiders crawled at her feet, thanking her profusely; some even shed tears of gratitude. Then, one by one they walked away, towards another day to live.

* * *

199X

The night is about to end.

Theresa and Shun sit next to each other, facing East, waiting for the sunrise. The young man is covered in bruises and grazes.

"Wow, you sure know how to throw a punch, girl" he says, with a smile on his face "I think you broke my nose"

"I'm sorry" Theresa says, with watery eyes.

"Don't be: I think you finally got the gist of it. The last Hyakuretsu Ken you performed was _perfect_. If you still need some training in the future, don't hesitate to tell me"

She hugs him. They remain silent for a bit, as the sun starts to rise upon the wasteland.

"Say, Shun" she asks "Do you really think Ken-Oh will get here? We heard that Kenshiro managed to fight him off once; Kenshiro also defeated the Holy Emperor, a man even Ken-Oh was afraid of. Do think Kenshiro-dono will prevail?"

Shun gazes at the horizon with sad eyes.

"Kenshiro...Theresa, do you think Kenshiro-dono is doing the right thing?"

Theresa looks at him, puzzled by the question.

"Of course he is! He's fighting the forces of evil, to bring peace into a chaotic world! That's the very reason Hokuto Shinken was created in the first place! Why do you ask?"

Shun sighs.

"I don't know, it's just...the world has changed so much. And when I look at the future, I am afraid. Afraid of the kind of man I could become in a world such as this. And..." he turns his head, and looks into her eyes "...I'm afraid that, one day, I could hurt you too"

Theresa stays silent for a moment; then, she laughs.

"Oh, you silly, silly Shun!" she exclaims, hugging him even tighter "You would _never_ hurt me!"


	14. Chapter 14: Over my dead body

_Early 90s_

It's a beautiful day at the Devil's Twin Peaks.

Four younglings have walked for a couple of hours to reach the top of one of the mountains: Shun, which is 14; Roxanne, which is 13; Olga and Mai, both 12 years old.

The other peak is at the other side of a chasm, 30 meters deep; at the very bottom, muddy, roaring waters flow.

The peak their are standing on is covered in grass; birds are singing, and a huge tree offers some repair from the sunlight.

The only thing that disturbs that peaceful scenery, is Roxanne's mood.

She is standing in front of Shun, panting heavily, with a bitter expression on her face.

"Roxie-chan, stop now" Olga pleads, clearly unnerved by the tense atmosphere "Why are you getting so worked up? This was supposed to be a friendly sparring!"

"Shut up, Olga!" Roxanne exclaims " I won't stop until I hit him at least once!"

Shun gives her a smug smirk.

"You can try all day, chipmunk"

"I told you, _don't call me chipmunk!_ "

She jumps him, bringing a continuous series of attacks. Shun easily dodges and blocks them all.

"Oh my, what a mess" Olga mutters "I don't know what has gotten into Roxie today!"

"Yeah, something is off" Mai says, completely calm and unfazed by the fight that's going on in front of her eyes "Roxanne is quick-tempered, but she usually has a soft spot for Shun"

"If Saya and Theresa were here, they would be able to talk some sense into her! Where did they go?"

"Oh, they said they were going to play at the wooden bridge. I don't know what is it that they like so much about that place" Mai shrugs "Personally, I'll rather spend my time at the Temple, studying the pressure points. Did you know there are tsubos that will make a man's skin _melt_ , if you use just the right amount of ki? I find that most fascinating"

In that moment, Roxanne is pushed back.

She falls on the ground, and Shun towers over her.

"Enough is enough" he says " If this keeps going, you are only going to get hurt"

Roxanne gets up, more bitter than ever.

She resents Shun for humilating her, but she still gives him a smug expression.

"Look at you, the strongest disciple of the Temple. I wonder...can the invincible Shun reach the other side of the cliff?"

Shun turns his head to look at the other peak; there are almost twenty meters from one cliff to the other.

"What's wrong, Shun?" she teases him "Does the jump _scare_ you? I bet you don't have the guts. Maybe you're not so superhuman after all"

Shun stays silent, calmly assessing the matter.

"If I jump" he finally says "will you finally shut up?"

" _Shun, don't!"_ Olga yells.

"Yeah, it doesn't sound like a bright idea" Mai points out "If you fall down there, you may end up dead"

"Come on, girls, he won't _actually_ jump" Roxanne says, smugger than ever "He is all talk"

Shun closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath.

Then, he starts running towards the cliff.

"SHUN!" Olga screams.

"...idiot" Roxanne whispers, shocked that he actually accepted her stupid challenge.

Shun jumps.

He soars like a bird through the air, wind tousling his long, raven hair, and finally lands safetly on the other side.

" _Happy now?!_ _"_ he yells toward Roxanne _"I guess someone owes me an apology!"_

Roxanne grinds her teeth.

"If he can do it...I can do it as well!"

She starts running towards the edge, with all the superhuman strength hidden in her skinny legs. Olga is yelling something, but Roxanne's not listening; she can only hear the wind roaring in her ears as she jumps, and flies above the chasm.

Time seems to slow down, as she reaches the other side. She is about to place one foot on the grass, right at the edge...then she slips, and loses her footing.

With a scream of terror, she falls.

She can't think about anything, as she plunges into the muddy water below: only that she's about to die.

The impact almost makes her lose consciousness. Mud gets into her mouth, her ears, her nostrils; the roaring current sweeps her away like a dead leaf.

"ROXANNE!"

Desperatly calling her name, Shun runs to the edge and jumps.

* * *

The current is way too strong, and Roxanne doesn't have any strenght left. He head collides with a rock in the middle of the stream, with enough strenght to dull her senses.

Roxanne is struggling, but she can't breath. She has now given in to panic. For the years to come, she will remember this moment as the most terrifying in her entire life.

Then, she sees someone swimming against the current, approaching her. Not even a grown man should be able to do that, much less a 14 years old boy: and yet, Shun is doing it.

He reaches her, grabs her; he slowly pushes her on the side of the stream, and pulls her out of the water. They finally sit on a rock, covered in mud, but safe and sound.

"I got you, chipmunk" he says, with a smile.

Roxanne is still trembling from head to toe. She hugs Shun and starts to desperately cry, her face pushed against his chest.

* * *

 _Present times_

Roxanne and Mai were sitting at a table, in a inn in Velko.

"You can tell something is wrong with this place" Mai commented "People are eating silently, with lowered eyes. This atmosphere is completely different than Zaria or Bara. Here, people are _scared_ "

"Well, let's order something to eat" Roxanne said, stretching her arms "I'm sure trouble will find us"

"It already has" Mai said, watching a muscular thug with a mohawk approach,

"Wow. Already?" Roxanne exclaimed "Imagine being a girl in this town _without_ Hokuto powers. That got to suck"

"Eheheh, my, what nice ladies" the thug said, when he finally got to their table "How about I keep you company? I'm sure you don't mind. I'm one of Goro's men, after all"

"That's exactly why we find you interesting" Roxanne said "We are so interested in Goro's men! We want to meet _all_ of your friends"

"Please" Mai said, with a big smile on her face "have a seat..."

* * *

A dozen armed men were sitting in the middle of the street, playing dice.

"Man, why do we have to guard this street, while the others get all the fun?" complained one of them.

"You mean _torturing_ people?" another one said " You're sick, man. Those Ganzai brothers give me the creeps"

"Eh. Don't say that when they're near. If they hear you, they'll reduce you to a pile of meat slices with their freaking whips"

In that moment, they saw someone running to them.

"SOMEBODY HEEEELP!"

They watched the guy approach: it was one of their companions.

"Say, what has gotten into you?" one of them asked.

"Those girls...they are _monsters!_ " the man uttered. He was trembling.

"What girls?"

"Those girls at the inn! They did _something_ to me! Messed with my brain!"

The man's eyes were those of a raving lunatic.

"They said I would be saved if I told you...they said I would be saved..."

In that moment, his head started to swell up like a ballon. The bandits could only watch in shock, as their companion's head exploded.

* * *

Roxanne and Mai calmy got out of the inn.

"Oh, look" Roxanne said "They're already here"

Around a dozen thugs were approaching, with maces and axes in their hands.

"Freeze!" one of them yelled "Who are you girls? We haven't seen you in Velko before!"

"They must be the ones" another one muttered "What do we do? They seem to be using Goro's Fist!"

"Well...they'll have to explain themself in front of the Ganzai brothers. They will be able to deal with them"

"So, you are not going to attack us?" Roxanne asked " How disappointing. But if you think we'll follow you nice and quietly, you're sorry mistaken. See, we came to this village to _dispose_ of you.

Every single one of you is going to _die_ "

Upon hearing those words, the bandits started to seeth with rage. They were scared of anyone who could use Hokuto Shinken, but they weren't going to take shit from some women. In their minds, there was no way they were as strong as Goro.

"Let's tear them apart!" one of them shouted.

They charged ahead, confident in the strenght of their numbers.

"Roxie, leave them to me" Mai said, moving a few steps toward them.

As they tried to hit her, she elegantly dodged them, striking a point in the middle of their chest.

"Hokuto Kyosatsu Shitotsu Ken" she muttered, after hitting the last one of them.

"W-what..."

One of the man let out a squeak, as he watched his own chest enlarge to grotesque proportions before exploding. Organs, reduced to minced meat by the pressure, burstead out in a fountain of blood.  
"OH GOD, NOT ME!" another one screamed, when his own chest started to swell up. One by one, their chests exploded. Only one of them was still alive: he had fallen on his ass, and was shaking in his boots.

Mai stooped down over him.

"I gave you a few seconds more" she explained "so you could tell me where Goro's lieutenats are hiding. I believe you called them _Ganzai brothers_ , is that correct?"

"Y-yes!" the terrified man uttered "They should be in the central square of the village right now! Go straight ahead, you can't miss them! I told you, so, please, save me!"

"Save you?" Mai raised her eyebrows "When did I ever say I would save you if you talked?"

"N-no way…."

His chest started to expand like a ballon, throbbing veins covering his pectoral muscles.

" _It hurts! Please...please!"_

Mai just watched as the bandit's body exploded, absolutely unperturbed by his gruesome death.

"Very good" she said "Let's go meet these brothers"

* * *

"I can't! I can't do it!" a young man cried; his hands, which were holding a giant saw, were shaking.

In front of him, another young man was buried up to his neck into the ground, looking at the saw with a frightened expression.

A crowd of villagers was watching, seething with anger but unable to even speak up against that crime: around ten thugs were ready to turn that place into a slaughterhouse as soon as they rebelled.

"Please, I can't kill my own brother!" the young man pleaded, towards two tall, muscular men.

They had a whip in each hand, and acted with the confidence of who's in charge.

"What do you think, Katsunan, my brother?" asked one of them "Should we let these two go, in respect of their brotherly love?"

"Of course not, Katsumoto!" the other one replied "Siblings or not, they are weak: and those who are weak, do not deserve to live. You, there: bash his head!"

A thug, who was standing behind the young man with a giant hammer in his hands, raised the weapon, ready to deliver a fatal blow.

"What..."

The thug had frozen, with the hammer held above his own head.

"What the hell are you doing?" Katsunan growled.

"It's strange...I can't move...and...what's this thing on my forehead…?"

A needle was sticking out of his face.

"Where did this thing come from…?"

In that moment, the back of his head expanded and exploded. Brain splattered all over the ground.

The thugs let out cries of shock and disgust.

"Looks like I made it just in time" a female voice said.

Everybody looked at the two young women walking into the square.

Roxanne clenched her fists. Her expression was unusually serious.

"Forcing members of one's family to kill each other" she muttered "How disgusting"

"Who the hell is that!?" Katsumoto yelled "Men, kill her!"

The bandits ran towards the girls, letting out a battle cry.

"Mai, you had your fun before...now it's my turn"

"Be my guest" Mai simply said "I'll relax and enjoy the show"

Then, Roxanne jumped at the thugs. Screams of pain raised to the sky.

* * *

 _N-no way…_

The last thug standing was about to literally piss himself. The red-haired woman was coming closer, with a merciless smile on her face.

 _She uses Goro's Fist. No doubt about it. I ain't fighting someone like that!_

He turned around to flee, but immediately stopped.

Katsumoto, one of the Ganzai brothers, had raised his whip.

"Are you trying to run away?" he growled "Cowards don't deserve to live!"

His whip moved, too quick for the eye to track.

The last thing the bandit saw was his own beheaded body, as his head touched the ground.

* * *

"Well well" Katsunan said "It appears this one uses Hokuto Shinken"

"How troublesome. But look at her: she's just a scrawny girl. There's no way she's as strong as Goro"

" _Whaaat!?_ " Roxanne exclaimed, shocked and offended "Are you really comparing me to Goro? That good-for-nothing that failed our Mistress' test?"

Katsumoto chuckled.

"Well, if you are stronger than Goro, you'll have to prove it to us. To tell you the truth, we ain't particularly scared of Goro either. We just decided to side with someone strong, but we may just take him out and steal his turf someday. We ain't afraid of a derived Hokuto style: we are masters of the _Taizan-ryu Sojo Ben,_ the martial art used by Uighur, legendary Warden of Cassandra! A man that has stood up even to Kenshiro himself!"

Roxanne raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms.

"Oh, finally I face some martial artists. This may be entertaining. I was getting tired of slaughtering fodder"

"Eh, we'll entertain you all the way down to Hell! Let's go brother!" Katsunan yelled.

The two jumped with superhuman agility, landing on both Roxanne's sides, a couple of meters from her.

Their whips started to crack in the air.

"Our ki is embedded in them" Katsumoto explained "They can cut through anything: flesh, bones...even metal!"

They started to attack Roxanne from both sides. She dodged all the deadly blows, like performing a frantic dance.

"Not bad, not bad!" Katsunan complimented her "But...what if we come closer?"

They started to move a few steps forward, while continuing to attack. As they closed onto Roxanne, dodging became harder: a graze appeared on her face, right under her left eye, and started to bleed.

"Eheheh" giggled Katsumoto "We still can't compare to Uighur in terms of might, but when fighting together, we are invincible!"

They were very close to her now.

"It's time, brother! Let's rip her to shreds!"

In that moments, the whips stopped. The Ganzai brothers had frozen on the spot.

Roxanne indices had pierced both of their chests.

"I-I can't move..." Katsunan groaned.

"You fools" Roxanne said "You were way too confident in your fighting style. To me, it's nothing more than child's play. Getting close to me, means _death_ to my opponents"

She took their weapons; she put a whip around each of their necks, and put the extremities in their hands.

"W-what are you doing, you bitch?"

"H-hey! My hands are moving on their own!"

Their hands were now pulling apart from each other, thus making the whip around the other one's neck tighter.

"You can't control your movementes anymore" Roxanne explained "Each one of you will strangle the other"

"N-no way!"

Katsunan started to cry.

"Please, anything but this! Kill me if you must, but let my brother go!"

"What are you saying, Katsunan!" the other one replied "I'm the eldest! If someone has to live, that is you!"

Katsumoto looked at Roxanne with pleading eyes.

"Please, don't make me kill my little brother with my own hands! I'm begging you!"

"SHUT UP, YOU TWO!"

Roxanne screamed at the top of their lungs; the rage in her eyes was something a few people had seen, and no-one lived to tell the tale.

"Normally, I would laugh in your face. I deeply enjoy hearing scum like you beg for their lives. But...I won't laugh today. This is no laughing matter"

She pointed at the young man, stuck into a hole in the ground, and his brother, who had finally let go of the saw.

"You showed no mercy to these two brothers. You wanted them to kill each other. You trampled on their love...and I shall trampled on yours. You deserve this cruel fate"

The Ganzai brothers cried and begged, but Roxanne just stood there watching them, deaf to their pleas. After a few seconds, their words faded into inarticulate, suffocated sounds. Finally, silence fell on the square: the Ganzai brothers were no more.

* * *

Mai helped the young man get out from the ground, carefully hooking up under his armpits.

Then, she turned her head towards the van parked in the square.

"Oh my, someone with a really bad karma is trying to hide behind that. Hey you! Come out! I know you're there!"

The last thug alive crawled out from behind the van.

"Please, have mercy!" he cried "You already defeated my gang...what harm can I do?"

Mai simply walked to him and grabbed his head. He lifted him from the ground with one hand.

" _H-hey! It hurts! What do you want to do to me?!"_

Without a word, she pushed him into the hole where the young villager was a moment before.

Then, she turned her head to the crowd standing around her.

"Do as you please with him"

Having said that, she walked away.

A few seconds later, screams of pain echoed once again in the square.

* * *

Early 90's

"We're here, finally" Shun says "You can get off now"

He carefully lays Roxanne to the ground in front of the Temple; he has carried her on his back all the way from the Devil's Twin Peak, since she hurt her ankle. They are both still covered in mud.

"Does it hurt, Roxie-chan?" Olga asks, with an apprehensive look on her face.

"After smashing her head on those rocks, we should thank the Gods she doesn't have a head trauma" Mai points out, calm and collected as ever.

"What in the world has happened here?!"

The four younglings turn their heads: a beautiful woman is coming out of the Temple.

She is pretty tall, around 175 cm (5 ft 9). She is wearing elegant, white robes that releaves her shoulders and her legs up to the knees, covering her shapely body and plump breasts.

Her skin is pale and smooth, and her hair reaches down to her shoulders in beautiful brown ringlets.

She is Yasmine, the current Mistress of the Sinful Fist of the North Star.

Shun bows his head.

"We were playing at the Devil's Twin Peak, and Roxanne fell" he explains " As her Senpai, I take full responsability. Please, Mistress: punish me in any way you may see fit"

Yasmine stares at both of them in silence for a while, with a stern look on her face, before speaking.

"No-one shall be punished today" she says "Come inside. I shall tend to your wounds"

The four younglings sigh in relief. Yasmine gets back inside the Temple, and Olga and Mai follow her.

"Shun, you saved my life" Roxanne says "I will be forever in your debt"

"Nah, don't even mention it" he replies "You would have done the same for me. But, Roxanne: I want to know what got into you. How come you were so _unruly_ this morning?"

Roxanne looks away, deeply embarassed.

"It's because...yesterday I got my first _red flow._ You know….my first menstruation..."

"Oh"

"I'm the first of my sisters to have the red flow. And...I'm afraid" she adds, barely holding back her tears "We are supposed to take the _test_ as soon as we hit puberty...once we are able to have kids, we are adults...and...I'm afraid of taking the test"

She covers her face with one hand.

"I'm not ready...not ready to do _that._ Not with my Mistress! How is it going to be? How was it for you? And...what if I fail? What if I _die?!"_

Shun takes a deep breath, with closed eyes.

"So, this is what that was all about. Relax, Roxanne: I talked to the Mistress about this, long ago. She's not going to put you through the test. She said she's going to wait at least a couple of years, until you're _ready_ "

Roxanne widens her eyes.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. Also, even if you fail, our Mistress wouldn't allow you to die"

"Thank the Gods" Roxanne whispers; she is now crying in relief.

"But" Shun adds "There's something I want to tell you. Something I want you to know".

He leans over, getting closer to her. When he speaks, it's a barely audible whisper.

"You _don't have_ to take the test. Not now, not in a couple of years. You don't have to become a prostitute, and sell your body to any perverted bastard that comes to the Temple. When the time comes, if you still feel the same as today...just tell me. I'll take you away from this wicked place"

Roxanne is shocked by his words.

"Shun...you _can't_ talk like that!" she exclaims "Anything you said is... _heresy_. It's against the Law of our Fist. One can't simply...leave the Temple and _not_ take the test! This is not what we were taught. It's our _duty_ to become prostitutes, and sell our bodies. Also...the Mistess has right of life and death over us. If I break the Law of the Fist, she could even chase me down and _take my life!_ "

Shun looks at her with blood-shot eyes.

"Over my dead body" he growls.

* * *

 _Present times_

Roxanne was sitting on a stone fence, staring into space.

Mai sat next to her.

"Is everything alright?" she asked "We freed Velko from Goro's rule. You should be happy"

"I am. It's just...all this mess of brothers murdering each other has left a bad taste in my mouth"

"You did the right thing"

"I know. But sometimes, I don't want to do the right thing"

She hesitated before speaking.

"You know...Shun had never said anything about breaking the Law of the Fist...except for once: the day he saved my life, twelve years ago. He knew he was speaking of something _forbidden_...but he did anyway. He did it because I was _scared,_ and he wanted to reassure me".

Roxanne's eyes got watery.

"I hate Shun for what he did to our Mistress, but...do we really have to kill him?" she asked, bursting into tears "I don't want him to _die_!"

Roxanne started to desperately cry; Mai hugged her.

"We'll figure it out, Roxie-chan" she promised "We'll figure it out together"


	15. Chapter 15: Crazed claws of Nanto!

As the van proceeded in its journey across the desert, Saya put the handheld transceiver down.

"Roxanne said they just freed Velko's village. She and Mai are going to meet with Theresa and Olga in Gehiko by tomorrow"

Reiju, in driver seat, nodded.

"We'll need to stop in a village soon and buy some gasoline" she informed Saya "These days, even when you have the money, it's not so easy to find"

"Looking at the map, a village should be appearing at the horizon pretty soon. I still can't see it, though"

Then, Saya casually looked in the rear-view mirror.

"Oh shit" she said "I can see something else"

Four raiders on motorbikes were quickly approaching. They just popped up from behind a dune, so they were already really close to them.

 _They probably regularly assault travelers headed for the village._

"It's better to stop the van and fight" Saya said "before they destroy one of our..."

In that moment, the vehicle abruptly swerved to the left: one of the raiders had thrown a hatchet to one of their tires, busting it open.

"FUCK!" Saya yelled, as Reiju slowed down and stopped.

The raiders quickly surrounded the vehicle.

"Are you confident in fighting them?" Saya asked "Or should I take care of them all?"

" _Please_ " Reiju said, rolling their eyes "Last time, I got defeated by a gang ten times more numerous than this. If I die to these guys...then, as a martial artist, I deserve death"

Saya smirked.

"Well said. Let's get down to business, then"

She got off the van, and calmy walked towards the bandits, who were already grinning in victory.

"Guys" Saya said "Trust me, you don't want to do this..."

One of the thugs grabbed her by her ponytail and dragged her down, forcing her to face his crotch.

" _Shut up, you bitch!"_ he shouted "Whatever you were carrying in that van now belongs to us! If you want to live...you better suck my dick!"

He dropped his pants and underwear, revealing a half-erect penis.

Saya looked at the cock in front of her and sighed.

"You know what?" she said "Okay. If this is really what you want..."

She gently took it in her hands, and started kissing the side of it, helping it reach a full erection.

"Good, good" the bandit said "And remember: if you do something stupid as trying to bite it off...I'll cut off all of your limbs, and leave you here to bleed to death!"

"Don't worry" Saya said " I'm a professional. I never let a customer feel my teeth, unless he specifically asks for it. Now relax and enjoy it"

After stroking the tip with her tongue for a few seconds, she finally put it in her mouth.

* * *

Shigeru was 22 years old.  
At 12, when the world ended, he had lost both of his parents. He had survived as a thief till the age of 16, when he was finally admitted into a gang.

He had been a raider ever since: robbing and murderding, gaining his companion's respect by never showing compassion. It was a tough life, for tough people. After all, only the strong could survive into this new world.

If someone asked him if he was satisfied with his new life, he would have found the question pointless: it was not about satisfaction, that was a luxury from the past. It was about _survival_ , about eating to live another day. Although, he had to admit, he enjoyed the occasional rape.

Now, Shigeru was absolutely thrilled. An Asian beauty was already giving a blowjob to one of his companions; but there was another beauty with Western looks waiting for them in the driver seat.

"Well well, miss" Kyushichi, one of his friends, giggled as he opened the door of the van "Come out and play with us..."

The man was hit by a kick to the chest, and fell on his ass. The blondie got off the van and stared at him with nothing but contempt.

"I suggest you get back on your motorbikes and leave, or you're all going to die" she said.

Kyushichi got back on his feet, seething with rage.

"YOU BITCH!"

He unsheathed his saber. Shigeru opened his mouth, in order to stop him: there was no point in getting so angry. Killing a beauty like that would have been a waste.

 _Damn it, Kyushichi!_ He thought. _I'm not fucking a corpse!_

Too late.

The thug was already swinging his weapon; but something unexpected happened.

The girl easily dodged the deadly blow, and moved her hands too fast for the eye to track, in a indiscernible pattern across the air.

Kyushichi stood still for a moment. Then, his upper body started to fall apart.

Slices of flesh dropped on the ground; the sand drank the blood that spurted from the corpse.

Shigeru was speechless. As the girl laid her eyes on him, he instinctively moved a step back.

"W-what did you do to him?!" he asked, almost yelling out of fear and disgust.

The girl's eyes were clear and calm, like she hadn't just slaughtered a man as a pig.

"This is my Fist" she explained "Nanto Ujou Ken, one of the 108 branches of Nanto Seiken"

 _Nanto…_

Shigeru had heard of Nanto before. He started to shake in his boots.

 _Wasn't that Holy Emperor from long ago a Nanto user too?_

Now he knew: while pursuing their prey, they inadvertently bumped into monsters.

He had to let his companions know.

"Guys!" he yelled, running around the vehicle "We must get out of here!"

One of the raiders, running in the opposite direction, bumped into him.

"Kuyushichi is dead!" Shigeru yelled.

"Masashi is dead too!" the other one cried out, scared out of his wits "That woman was giving him a blowjob...and his head exploded all of a sudden...his head expl-..."

In that moment, the raider's neck expanded like a ballon and blew up, splashing Shigeru with a spurt of blood. The severed head of the bandit rolled a few times on the sand before stopping.

The beheaded body fell to the ground with a loud thud.

For a few seconds, Shigeru just stood there and watched, too shocked to even move.

 _The Fist that makes people explode from the inside out,_ he thought, _I heard of it when I was just a little thief. I used to think it was so cool….Hokuto Shinken…_

Terror got the best of him.

He turned around, intent on running to the nearest motorbike...but he immediately stopped.

The Asian girl was sitting on the motorbike in a laid back pose, with her legs crossed.

As soon as they made eye contact, she got off the bike and started to slowly walk towards him.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked "I don't think so"

Shigeru immediately dropped his weapon, and raised his hands.

"I give up" he said. His voice was high-pitched from fear.

"Oh" the Asian girl muttered, raising an eyebrow "So, you let your victims go when they drop their weapons? Oh, wait!" she exclaimed with a facepalm "How could I forget? You attack people that don't even have any weapons to begin with!"

Shigeru slowly moved backwards as she walked to him.

"Wait!" he uttered "I had no idea you girls were this strong! If I knew, I would have never attacked you! Please, forgive me!"

"I keep hearing this, and I will never understand the logic behind it" the girl sighed "So, you don't attack the strong...you prey on the weak instead...and I'm supposed to show you mercy? Why?! Is this some "gangster" type of logic? Like, a _I acknowledge your strength, I would never disrepect you_ kind of thing? Am I supposed to be _flattered_ by this?! Well" she muttered, as if talking to herself " I guess Roxanne _would be_ flattered...but she would kill you anyway in the end"

Shigeru could no longer move backwards: he had his back against the van.

The blonde girl was standing on his left, staring at him with her arms crossed. The Asian girl got closer and closer. She placed her hands upon his shoulders.

"Do you have any last wish?" she whispered, with a merciless smile " A goodbye kiss? Or...do you want a blowjob like your friend?"

Shigeru shook his head vigorously; he was on the verge of crying.

"Don't do this" he begged "Just tell me what you want! There must be a way out of this!"

"Except that there isn't"

The girl wasn't smiling anymore. Instead, she was seething with anger.

"This is how it ends for most people these days. The are just traveling from a village to another, in search of a better life; then, raiders like you come. They steal everything in their possession, and murder them in cold blood. The travelers begs for their lives, but it's useless: the raiders will kill them just for the lols. If you are a woman, it's even worse: they will kill you all the same, but first, they're going to rape you"

The girl got closer; her face was now a couple of inches away from Shigeru's.

"Do you understand now, what it feels like to be helpless?"

Shigeru nodded. He really understood: he was scared out of his wits.

Then, Saya smiled again. This time, it was a kind and forgiving smile.

"Good, then. Relax. I'm not going to kill you"

Tears of relief appeared in Shigeru's eyes.

"R-really?!"

" _But_ I will make sure you won't hurt anyone ever again. And no...I'm not taking your word for it"

Then, without any warning, she stuck her thumbs in both his shoulders.

"W-what did you just do!?"

"Calm down. The bleeding will stop by itself"

 _Bleeding!?_

Then, he felt a searing pain in both of his hands. He raised them to his face, and watched in shock as they started to swell up like bags filled with water.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?"

His hands exploded. Remains of his torn apart fingers splattered everywhere. He fell to his knees, staring at the bleeding stumps.

"MY HANDS! I GOT NO HANDS ANYMORE!"

The Asian girl gazed at him with what looked like compassion, and sighed.

"Reiju" she said "Let's go. The van is useless: we don't have any spare tire. We'll take a motorbike instead".

As the girls walked away, a great fear arose in Shigeru: the fear of being abandoned in the middle of the desert, alone and totally defenseless.

"No...please, don't go!" he begged, as the girls mounted on a motorbike "Don't leave me like this!"

"You'll be fine" the Asian girl said, without even turning to look at him "There's water in the van...I'm sure you'll be able to open up the bottles with your teeth. Hopefully, some travelers will pass by here in a couple of days, pick you up and drop you at the closest village, where you'll spend the rest of your days as a beggar. You can convince them to have mercy on you, even though you're clearly a raider: I left you your tongue after all, didn't I?"

Having said that, the girls rode away through the desert, deaf to Shigeru's pleas.

* * *

"In here"

The man didn't put up any resistance, when the guards pushed him into the room and closed the door behind him. Resistance was futile: he knew he was as good as dead. There was only one reason a man would be brought to the top floor of Vega's palace.

"Welcome, Baiko"

The room was pretty big. On one of the walls, all sort of weapons were hanging: swords, axes, maces. A big pool filled with a purple liquid was located at the very center: it emanated a foul stench, that made it hard to breath.

Only one man was inside of the room, standing right in front of Baiko: Vega, the Lord of the village.

His frame was pretty massive and muscular, around 200 cm tall (6 ft 7) and weighing at least 100 kilograms (220 poundes). But, the scariest thing about him were the 30 cm long metal claws he had on both of his hands. Those claws were said to make Vega absolutely invincible.

"Baiko…what am I supposed to do with you?" the man said, with a cruel smirk on his face " As the former chief of this village, you did splendidly good. When I took over two years ago, you promptly submitted, thus avoiding needless bloodshed. You undestood I was the strongest, and you knew your place. You never tried to stir up a rebellion: instead, you did your best to make sure the villagers complied. Honestly, you're the wisest man I ever met. So _why_...why ruin it all? Why did you kill one of my men?"

Baiko's mouth was dry. He knew was was coming next, but he wasn't going to beg.

"The man I killed was trying to rape my daughter. She's just 14"

"Ooh, I see" Vega softly scratched his face with one of his claws, feignig indecisiveness "I can hardly blame a father for protecting his daughter...but the fact remains, that you killed one of my men. You see, I _own_ this village. I decide if it's okay to let my henchmen rape the villagers or not...weaklings like you should mind their position. Now, there's only one way I can deal with you. You know, right?"

Baiko gulped.

" Y-yes"

"Very well. Pick a weapon from that wall: we are going to fight. The loser goes in there" Vega said, pointing at the pool filled with strange liquid.

Baiko tried to prevent himself for shaking too much. He knew he had no chances, but he wasn't going down without a fight. He walked to the wall, and took a saber in his hands. Then, he took a fighting stance.

"Very well, I can see there's still some fight in you!" Vega chuckled "You know what, since you were just protecting your daughter, I'll make you a special deal. If you manage to wound me...if you put the tiniest little scratch on my body...then I'll let you live!"

 _What?_

Baiko got his hopes up. He could never kill someone like Vega, but a tiny wound...he could do it. He was a decent fighter himself, after all.

He charged at Vega, slashing through the air. His opponent moved at superhuman speed.

A moment later, his saber was on the floor, next to his severed forearm.

"OOOH GODS!" Baiko yelled, falling to his knees.

Vega smirked.

"You are a brave man, Baiko, I'll give you that. Too bad your skills are no match for my Nanto Seiken"

He grabbed Baiko by his clothes and lifted him off the floor. He then walked to the pool.

He lowered Baiko, so that his feet would sink under the surface. A scream of pain was forced out of the man, as vapor raised from the point where the liquid made contact with his skin.

" _Just kill me already, you crazy bastard!"_

Vega smiled. It was the smile of a sadist.

"I would love too...but there's nothing I enjoy more than watching a man melt while still alive. Now, enjoy your acid bath, Baiko"

He dropped the man in the pool.

From the top floor of the building, Baiko's screams could be heard throughout the village.

It was only a full minute later that they finally stopped.

* * *

" _You bastards!"_

A crowd had gathered under Vega's palace.

A dozen thugs were standing in front of the entrance, keeping the villagers at bay, under the threat of their spears; the villagers had the numbers on their side, but they were also unarmed.

"Stand down!" a bandit ordered "You better go back to your homes, before Vega himself decides to get down here and cut you up like cattle!"

"We aren't going anywhere!" a woman shouted, tears rolling down her cheeks "I could hear my husband scream from here! How dare you do something so cruel?!"

"Baiko just wanted to protect his daughter, and he got brutally murdered for that!" another villager yelled "We are fed up with your cruelty! Anybody could be next!"

" _You_ will be next, unless you go back to your home immediately!" the bandit threatened him.

In that moment, a villager threw a rock, hitting the thug on the forehead. Blood started to run down his face. The bandit gritted his teeth.

" _That's it!_ " he yelled "You all will die, you fools!"

He pointed his spear at a woman in the crowd, and thrust it with all of his might.

Then, he just stood still, with his jaw dropped: a feminine hand had grabbed his weapon and stopped it with no effort at all, thus saving the villager.

"That wasn't really nice, was it?"

The thug turned to look at the Asian girl talking to him. For a moment, he was too surprised by her beauty to speak a word: before he could say or do anything, she struck a point on his chest with her bare fingers.

"What are you…?"

In that moment, both of his arms bent and twisted, breaking his bones.

"AAAH WHAT THE FUCK!" he cried out, falling on his ass.

"Hey bitch, what did you do to him!?" another bandit asked, raising his spear.

Saya moved to fast for them to react. She struck pressure points on their chest, in quick succession.

One after the other, all fell to their knees, paralyzed and with arms twisted behind their back.

"Take their weapons" she said to the villagers "These guys won't be moving for a few hours...tie them up and do whatever you want with them"

She then addressed the bandits.

"I should kill you…but that's not up to me. These people know your crimes better than anybody. So, I'll let them pass their judgement on you"

"What?!" a bandit exclaimed, his face going pale "B-but they'll just kill us! Please, let us go!"

"Oh, don't look at me with those puppy eyes" Saya said, smiling and patting him on the head "You can still try to talk yourself out of trouble. If you can't, well...you reap what you sow"

She then turned to a girl standing next to her, who had her face covered by a veil.

"Let's go meet this Vega guy. I want to have a few words with him"

* * *

"VEGA-SAMA!"

The bandit rushed inside the room, with a frightened look on his face. Vega just stared at him with a mix of disconcert and curiosity: what could be possibly going on?

"Vega-sama...two women got inside of the palace!"

"Two _women?_ "

"I tried to stop them, but they...they...oh, GODS!"

The man's head expanded like a ballon and exploded. Gallons of blood spurted from the severed neck, as the body fell on the floor.

For the first time in years, Vega felt a shiver of fear run up his spine.

 _Hokuto Shinken!? In a place such as this?!_

The women walked into the room. One was an Asian woman of uncommon beauty; the other was wearing a veil, revealing only her bright, green eyes.

"Who the hell are you!?" he yelled, taking a fighting stance.

"My name is Saya, of the Sinful Fist of the North Star" the Asian one introduced herself " I heard things about you, Vega. As soon as we came into this village, people warned us about you. They told us that you like to murder people by bathing them in acid. I can see that those weren't exaggerations" she said, looking at the pool behind him.

"Mhf, Sinful Fist of the North Star?" Vega smirked "Never heard of it. I don't know who you are, miss, but you are not the actual Heir to Hokuto Shinken. And I'm not afraid of a derivated style. I'll fend you off with my Nanto Hikkaku Ken, the Clawing Fist of the South Star!"

Saya raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? You put metal claws on your hands, and you call that a Nanto style?"

"That's not so unsual, Saya-san" the veiled girl explained "There are 108 minor Nanto schools. Some of them actually make good use of sharp weapons: when properly imbued with ki, they can even cut through steel!"

"I see. But I'm not afraid of a clawed psycho"

Saya took a fighting stance as well.

"No, Saya-san. Please, allow me"

The girl removed her veil.

"As a fellow Nanto user, I feel the need to confront this man myself" she explained "Be ready to face my Nanto Ujou Ken, you monster"

"Nanto Ujou Ken?"

Vega's eyes got wider.

"Don't tell me...you're the daughter of the former King of Thorvesk! I heard the new King is searching for you far and wide!"

"Now that you know, we can't let you live" Saya said "Well, it's not like we were going to spare your life anyway"

"As you said, I'm Reiju, Princess of Thorvesk. But I won't judge you as a Princess. Instead, as a Nanto user, I shall bestow the judgement of the Heavens upon you, since you broke the Law of the Fist"

"The Law of Nanto?" Vega's eyes narrowed in anger "Don't give me that bullshit. Remember the Holy Emperor? He was the strongest among the Nanto Rokuseiken, the leading star! Yet, he built his damn Cross Pyramid by enslaving children!"

"Just because our leading stars follow an evil path, it doesn't mean we should!" Reiju exclaimed, with fire in her eyes.

"Whatever" Vega snorted "Your father died...you will die as well"

Having said that, he charged ahead, moving at superhuman speed. He clawed at the girl dozens of times: no human could have avoided those attacks.

But Reiju did. She was dodging all of the blows; and yet, she looked like she was on the ropes. She was slowly backing up, unable to fight back. A claw grazed her face, opening a bleeding wound on her cheek.

" _You are dead meat, you stupid girl!"_ Vega shouted, bringing down what he thought would be the killing blow. Then, something unexpected happened.

Reiju disappeared from his sight. Only a moment later, he realized she had jumped into the air with amazing agility: but it was already too late.

Reiju was behind him. She had her legs wrapped around his waist, and the side of her hand pushed against his neck.

"Don't move" she said, whispering to his ear "Or I'll cut your head off"

Vega couldn't move. He had never lost before: now, for the first time, he was truly afraid.

"W-why did you stop?" he asked "Are you going to spare my life?"

"I don't enjoy killing" she replied, with a cold voice "But that doesn't mean you'll leave this place alive. See, there's no way _she_ would ever spare you"

Saya moved a few steps forward, and smiled.

"Well done, Reiju. You can let him go. I'll fight him now"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am. Since I'm going to kill this piece of shit, I want to give him at least a chance of fighting back"

Reiju pulled her hand away from Vega's neck, and released him.

The man felt humiliated: those girls were toying with him.

"You feel so confident, uh?" he said, looking at Saya "But I'll make sure you'll pay for your insolence. I'll enjoy hearing you beg for mercy!"

Saya was looking at him with bloodshot eyes. She was struggling to contain her rage.

"Ok, I'll tell you how this is going to end" she said "You are going to end up in that pool"

She pointed at the surface of the purple liquid.

"You will end up in that, no matter what. Begging, crying, bargaining, nothing will help. You have only one way out of this. I'm telling you because I wanted to show you just a little bit of mercy, before giving you hell"

"Is that so? What's the way out then?"

"Kill yourself"

Saya said that in a calm, composed tone of voice. She was absolutely serious.

"Kill yourself _now_. Slit your throat with your those claws...gut yourself out... I don't care. I'll let you die by your own hands: this will be the extent of my mercy. You should seize this opportunity right now, because I'll be taking this choice away from you very soon"

Vega was now shaking, not with fear: with _rage_.

" _How dare you mock me, you cunt!"_

Instead of attacking her with his Fist, he brought a hand behind his back, and grabbed a small sphere hanging from his belt. He threw it at the woman, hitting her on the forehead.

The sphere, made of glass, broke into a million pieces, covering Saya's face with a purple liquid.

"AHAHAH! ENJOY HAVING YOUR FACE MELTED BY ACID, BITCH!"

The girl brought both hands to her face; then, she chuckled.

"W-what…?"

Vega could not believe his eyes: the woman was unharmed. Her skin was clean and smooth, like he splashed it with water instead of acid.

"You fool" she said "As if tricks such as these would work on me...my ki makes my skin as hard as steel. It protects me from fire, electrocution, and even acid attacks. Now, you'll pay for your crimes and cowardice with your life"

"W-we'll see about that!"

He lunged at her, clawing at her with both of his hands. She intercepted both of his hands, poking them with her fingers.

"Hokuto Goshi Retsu Dan" she muttered.

A moment later, Vega's hands exploded. Both his fingers and his claws flew off in every direction.

"THIS CAN'T BE!"

Saya was now standing in front of him, with a sneer of disgust on her face.

A wave on invisible ki erupted from her body, engulfing Vega: in that moment, he knew his life was forfeit.

"ZANKAI SEKIHO KEN!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Hundreds of punches came, breaking his nose, cracking his ribs, leaving a print on every inch of his body.

When they stopped, Vega's body had gone numb.

"W-what..."

Then, his legs moved on their own. He started to walk backwards.

"What the hell?! I can't stop!"

Then, he realized the pool was behind him. At that point, he completely give in to panic.

"WAIT!" he begged "I understand! You win this fight! Look at me, I don't even have hands anymore...you sealed my Fist! So please, just spare my life!"

"Thugs like you always have a bad sense of hearing" Saya replied "And I hate repeating myself...didn't I tell you that begging would be useless?"

"No way..."

Vega looked at Reiju, who was now standing close to the door, with her arms crossed.

"You...you are a kind-hearted girl, aren't you? You'll have mercy on me. Please...I broke the Law, but we're still fellow Nanto users, right? Won't you help me out?"

Reiju sighed.

"A martial artist should face his death with some dignity: you are a total disgrace to Nanto Seiken. But...you are right" she said "I don't enjoy watching someone die like that, not even scum like you. That's why...I'll be waiting outside"

Having said that, she left the room.

"Oh Gods, no..." Vega whispered, on the verge of tears. With each step, he was getting closer and closer to the pool. Saya accompanied him in his last walk, slowly moving forward as he moved backwards.

"What now?" she mocked him "Are you going to beg some more? How about you try to sway my heart with the story of your life? Why don't you tell me about your sad childhood? And while you're at it, explain to me why a sad childhood should be an excuse for _melting people alive_ "

Vega was on the very edge of the pool.

"If you save me now, I'll never give you any reason to regret it! I swear to you!" he said, with tears running down his cheeks _"Please...I beg of you, woman of Hokuto!"_

"Shut up and fall" she replied "Your fate was sealed from the start"

And Vega fell.

He wriggled in pain, as acid started to corrode his skin. Smoke raised from his exposed muscles.

He tried to get out of the pool, but it was impossible without any hands.

"PLEEEEASE! PULL ME OUUUUT!" he yelled at Saya, his voice high-pitched to the point of being almost unrecognisable.

Saya was towering over him.

"How noisy" she commented.

She took off one of her sandals, and placed her bare foot on his face; she pushed it down, under the surface. Her skin was covered in protective ki, and acid could not hurt her.

Vega tried to hug her leg with his arms, but his last, mute attempt at begging could not sway Saya's heart.

A few seconds later, Vega stopped struggling.

* * *

" _Those bitches!"_

Goro punched the wall. His fist sank deep into the concrete, opening up a myriad of fissures all around it.

He and Ayako were alone in the bedroom, in a building at the center of Gehiko.

The woman was sitting in a corner, with her arm crossed and a troubled expression on her face.

Goro was shaking from rage.

One of his men had just come back from Zeruen: he was supposed to find out why Daryl and the others weren't coming back. The answer to that question was simple: they were all dead.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Ayako asked.

"Of course I am. Only Hokuto Shinken could produce that kind of wounds. There was only one survivor: he had no hands, no eyes and no tongue. He said some woman did it. Or some _women._ He couldn't talk very well"

To Goro, that detail was a matter of life and death.

"Well, where is he now?!" Ayako exclaimed as she stood up, too agitated to remain sitting "Even if he's got no tongue, he can still nod or shake his head! We could interrogate him thoroughly!"

"That idiot I sent to Zeruen decided to put him _out of his misery!_ "

Ayako gritted her teeth.

"I hope you killed that moron"

"Damn right I did. I crushed his skull as soon as he told me what he did"

Ayako got closer to him.

"You know what we should do"

"What?"

" We should just go. Accept that King's offer"

Goro stared at her with narrowed eyes. He was so enraged, he was panting.

"Are you suggesting that I should _run?!_ "

Ayako firmly looked into his eyes.

"Yes. They are after you"

"I can deal with one of them!"

 _Unless it's Saya,_ he thought. _There is no way I can counter her Will of the Goddess._

But he wasn't going to admit that, not in front of Ayako.

"What if all five of them come after you?!" the woman insisted "From what you told me, they all have a reason to hate you! They are five...you are alone"

Goro kicked a chair, smashing it into the wall.

"Then I'll _die!_ " he shouted "I'll stay, and I'll die fighting! I'll rather die than ask for Shun's help!"

Ayako wasn't going to give up just yet: after all, she was the only person in the world who could talk some sense into Goro.

"You guys have a common enemy now: it's only natural that you should be allies! He's got an _army,_ and he uses the same Fist as you. Not only that...he's stronger than you. Didn't you say so yourself?"

Goro took a bottle of sake from the table and smashed it into the wall.

"Don't remind me of that, woman! I know very well. Fucking Shun...the perfect guy, loved by all...well, not so many people love him these days, do they? Serves him right!"

Goro smiled bitterly.

Ayako came closer to him, and took one of his hands between hers. She looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Please, Goro" she begged "please, let's just go. I'm scared"

The man stopped smiling. A sudden thought hit him.

If he were to die, what would happen to Ayako? What would those bitches do to her?

He could clearly sense her rotten karma, so similar to his own. Since the moment he met her, five months before, he loved how much of a blood-thirsty psycho she was. They had killed so many people: there was no way his "sisters" would let her live.

Goro hesitated: a part of him wanted to stay. He hated the idea of running away from _them_ : he had already been humiliated enough. More than anything, he hated the idea of relying on Shun's help...even if Shun had been the one to offer his help to begin with.

But Ayako was right in front of him, terrified and on the verge of crying. She was _trembling._ He felt a painful twinge of compassion in his heart. In that moment, Goro knew he loved her. He would never allow anyone to hurt her...not even himself.

"Alright" he said, with a sudden lump in his throat "Give me some time to deal with some business. We'll be leaving right after that"

* * *

An hour later, Goro had mounted on his motorbike. Ayako, sitting behind him, had her arms around his chest. She laid her head on his shoulder and smiled, enjoying the warmth of that touch.

As the sun went down, they rode away, headed to the city of Thorvesk, far in the North.


	16. Chapter 16: King of Thorvesk

_City of Thorvesk, Royal Palace_

It was dawn.

Reddish light came in through the open window. Despite the early hour, everybody around the table looked wide awake and full of energy: they were accustomed to waking up early in the morning. Everybody except General Tatsuya.

Tatsuya still hadn't fully adapted to the pace of his life under the new King. Sure, the former King used to hold meetings early in the morning too, but not even remotely as often as the new one.

Tatsuya enjoyed simple pleasures in life: alcohol and women.

He had been partying till late last night, with a couple of prostitutes.

 _I didn't even use to pay those women, before,_ he thought, with a surge of annoyance. _I'm a General, after all: such small things should fall within my privileges. But I had to give it all up...otherwise, Shun would have had my head._

In that moment, the King walked in.

He was wearing a simple, thin silver crown. A golden cape covered his muscular frame.

He wasn't very tall, only around 181 cm (6ft), yet people felt so small in his presence. Looking him into the eyes would make most grown men cower in fear: those eyes suggested a profound intelligence and fierce willpower.

 _They can see through your lies, see who you really are,_ Tatsuya thought, as a shiver went up his spine. That was one of the reasons he didn't really like Shun: he always felt somewhat _naked_ , when standing in front of him. It was like Shun was a mirror which any man was forced to look into: and Tatsuya didn't like what he saw. He didn't like to see himself as an opportunist and a coward.

 _Oh, and let's not forget that I had to stop any illegal activity, like taking any kind of fee from the people of Thorversk._

Shun was the kind of King who would fight corruption with death sentences. He most certainly _knew_ about Tatsuya not being fond of him...but he was the kind of man who didn't mind being hated, as long as he was feared.

Everybody stood up and bowed. The King made a slight head nod, giving them permission to sit again. He reached his seat at the head of the table; as soon as he sat down, he picked up the papers in front of him: he would usually read official documents while listening to his advisors.

"Good morning everyone" he said "Let's start with the city of Thorvesk: we'll handle the villages later. General Yoshimasa: brief me about your agents' reports"

Tatsuya looked at the man who was about to speak: General Yoshimasa was a muscular soldier in his forties, bald and with a thick, black beard. He was a martial artist, master of the Taizan Sword style, and he had been the personal bodyguard of the former King of Thorversk.

 _He saw Princess Reiju grew up. But not long after the King's death, he sold his soul and body to Shun, and did not hesitate to hunt down the fleeing Princess._

Yoshimasa was now in charge of both the Thorvesk Army and internal security; he had placed undercover agents everywhere in the city: in markets, temples and taverns.

"From my reports, the greatest discontent lies in the farmers of the city. Now that the Crown has established a roof for the prices of their goods, their income has gone considerably down"

This had started with the subjugation of nearby villages. Villages were forced to pay a monthly fee to Thorversk: not in terms of money, but of food. Such goods were acquired by the Crown, who then sold them to farmers of Thorvesk for a very low price; no matter how low the price, this was a convenient trade for the Crown, since it acquired said goods for free. The farmers, for their part, were allowed to sell them to the people of the Thorvesk, together with their self-produced goods. Given how easily farmers acquired the food they were trying to sell, selling it for the usual, or even a higher price, would provide the chance for great profit. Instead, the Crown had taken away their right of freely setting their prices, in order to keep the food affordable for everybody.

"Is that so?" Shun asked, unable to hide his annoyance.

"Not only that" Yoshimasa continued "The farmers are unhappy with his Majesty decision of forbidding free trade with the subjugated villages"

"Yeah, right" the King said, with a sneer of disgust "The only reason why they want free trade, is because villages used to depend on Thorvesk for food, and farmers from the city used to sell half of their goods to villagers for a much higher price. This way, farmers increased their income while keeping food availability low in Thorvesk, which also allowed them to set higher prices for the people of the city. It was a wicked system that led a fifth of the population _to starve to death_ "

"Still" Yoshimasa said " People complain about losing their freedom"

" _Freedom"_

Shun pronounced that word as he was spitting out something disgusting.

"What you have out there, outisde the city walls, is freedom" he said, pointing a finger to the window "People doing whatever they want, whenever they want. Killing, raping, stealing...that is freedom. Freedom is _chaos._ But I am a martial artist: I know the importance of _discipline._ Without hard work...without _control_...there can be no growth. No future"

Tatsuya knew that his controlling policy had cost Shun a lot of hate: for instance, imposing three years of compulsory military training to any boy who turned 15, so they could be full-fledged soldiers by the age of 18.

Shun pointed a finger at the documents laying on the table.

"The average married couple in Thorvesk has up to 8 kids. Out of 8, only 3 live long enough to reach adulthood. This is unacceptable. That's why farmers will sell their food _only_ in Thorvesk, and they will sell it at the price _I_ decide"

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Everyone in this room knows I have military goals in mind: I'm not talking about short term goals...I'm talking _really_ long term. In thirty years, I want Thorversk to rule over a quarter of former Japan. I want Thorvesk to be the Capital of a strong, thriving Kingdom. But I won't drag my people into any war we can't win: we will only make a move with overwhelming odds in our favour. Before expanding our territory, we must secure our strength and wealth.

We need an army, a _real_ one: 500 men may seem pretty good in your eyes, at least compared to the average band of raiders, but that's no army. What if an actual military power raises in a distant land, and come to conquer us? We wouldn't be able to defend ourselves. Security requires military might. Military might requires population growth. Population growth requires fighting child mortality. And the only way to fight child mortality, is food availability and _sanitation_ "

"In that regard, your Majesty, people don't really appreciate how private aspects of their lives were altered by the Law" Yoshimasa went on.

Tatsuya was well aware of that: they were talking about the so called _hygiene measures_ that Shun imposed.

Thorvesk lacked a sewage system. People used to throw their bodily wastes in the middle of the street, where a furrow in the earth held urine and feces. The stench, expecially in the outskirts, was unbearable. Shun, instead, forced people to throw their wastes in special wells, not linked to the drinkable water system, digged in specific points of the city. He also had the streets paved, and the former furrows filled and covered. Anybody who dared to soil the streets with wastes would be publicly flogged; anyone who dared pollute the drinkable water supply, would be punshed by death.

Then, there was the _bathing and washing decree._

Once a week, people from each neighborhood were supposed to gather to a specific meeting point, bringing dirty clothes; under the supervision of the Army, clothes would be washed in hot water, and people would bath inside huge bronze tubs. Despite the existence of a division betweeb man and women, people considered this a grave violation of their personal privacy.

"What was I supposed to do?" Shun asked, clearly irritated "Let children play in the streets, in the feces of their parents? Let them sleep for _months_ in the same dirty bed sheets? Scabies, pediculosis, faeco-oral infections: all of this can be easily prevented with a correct hygiene. People have forgotten what it means to be civilized...but I don't blame them. In the last ten years, they have been far too preoccupied with surviving. So, it is my duty as a King to remind them"

"But people are actually very grateful for the new healthcare system" Yoshimasa continued.

Shun nodded: he had expected at least this much. Under the former King's rule, patients paid doctors out of pocket: now, doctors were paid directly by the Crown, thanks to the easy money the Crown made by selling goods from the subjugated villages, and medical service was free for anybody. Mortality rate was still pretty high, due to the lack of drugs and medical equipment...but it was a start.

"The former King did pretty well" Shun said "I mean it. He made this city was it is today. A decent army, a growing economy, high walls…that why I chose Thorvesk as my starting point: it was the best-established political entity I encountered in my travels. But we must do _better._

In a couple of years, we will build a proper sewage system. And in a few years, I hope to bring my most ambitious project to life: a pharmaceutical laboratory. We will find someone who has the necessary knowledge, and provide him with any means necessary. Then, we will be able to produce drugs again: I'm talking _antibiotics._ Those will be our strongest weapon. They will defeat both child and adult mortality, and population growth will skyrocket; moreover, they'll do wonders for wounded soldiers after battle, meaning that we're always going to suffer less losses than our enemies. They will bring _civilization_ to our Kingdom"

Everyone around that table, including Tatsuya, was now at a loss of words: Shun had never talked about antibiotics before. Retrieving such a lost technology sounded like an overly ambitious plan...but in their hearts, they knew Shun could do it. This fearsome, yet smart and forward-thinking young man could lead them back to the paradise they had lost ten years before.

"Anyway" General Yoshimasa said "I'm sad to inform your Majesty that most people still love Princess Reiju, and wait for her return"

"That is why you need to find her as soon as possible" Shun cut it short: he was being briefed about that matter literally everyday "Now...let's discuss the villages"

Yoshimasa cleared his throat.

"After Eiras village was burnt to the ground, we are left with only five villages under our rule. They took the news that Eiras village was plotting an uprising against the Crown with suspect...but they all paid their monthly fee on time"

Tatsuya knew very well that the uprising was a lie. Eiras village was guilty of a single crime: they had witnessed the slaughter of 60 Thorvesk's soldiers at the hands of the woman called Olga. Shun had given his men accurate descriptions of five women that he described as "extremely dangerous". In short, those women used the same dreadful Fist as Shun. " _Don't try to apprehend them, don't try to fight them"_ he had said " _You would be throwing your lives away. Just confirm their location and report to me: only I can handle them"._

Of course, Shun couldn't allow the villages to know about such fearsome enemies: seeing a possible victory against him, they would have most certainly revolted. So the population of Eiras had been completely exterminated: men, women and children.

"But our relationship with Enoch village has improved, after we repelled that bandit raid" Yoshimasa pointed out.

A couple of days before, around 50 raiders had attacked Enoch village. The village had been promised protection in exchange for their monthly fees: so, they sent smoke signals. A few minutes later, 120 men of the Thorversk army, led by General Yoshimasa of the Taizan Sword style, had come out from the city gates and chased the bandits away.

"Very well" Shun said "A day will come when the villages will enjoy the same privileges of Thorvesk. For now, they will suffer in order to make us strong...but it is my intent to make us one nation, one people. That's why, I allowed people from those villages to become Thorvesk citizens in exchange for serving their time in the Army. We will apply this system to any land we conquer"

Yoshimasa nodded.

"A wise decision, your Majesty. Now, regarding those Hokuto women, has your Majesty decided to..."

"We discussed it yesterday, Yoshimasa" Shun interrupted him, raising a hand " There's no need to talk about it again"

 _What did they discuss?_ Tatsuya asked himself. Those women were the only thing he was afraid of: he had never seen a Fist as dreadful as Hokuto Shinken: even the Nanto style of the former King paled in comparison. So, any news regarding such formidable enemies was of the utmost interest to Tatsuya. But Shun was not going to discuss the matter in front of him...he probably only trusted Yoshimasa with that.

"Very well" Shun said " This will be all for today. All of you can return to your daily duties. We will be holding another meeting in..."

A soldier suddenly walked into the room: he had a scared expression on his face.

"Your Majesty!" he uttered, before kneeling.

"What's the matter?"

"A man is now standing in front of the city gates, demanding to see you. He claims to be your _brother._ His head is…deformed. Two soldiers mocked him for that. He...he killed them with Hokuto Shinken!"

Everybody in the room flinched, except for Shun, who's eyes narrowed.

"I have no _brothers_...only sisters. But, I know that man very well. Let him in: escort him to the Royal Palace. And of course...don't say anything about his deformity. It would be safer to not even look him in the eyes. I will handle him"

"As your Majesty commands"

* * *

Shun was alone in the throne room, when Goro and Ayako walked in.

"Well well" Goro said, looking around the hall "Isn't this place _fancy_ "

The woman bowed respectfully, with a smile on her face.

"Your Majesty" she said.

Shun had already met her in Gehiko, when he had first proposed Goro to join his ranks. She had been the woman of the chief of a raiders' gang, until Goro killed the thug and took control of his men. Since then, she had been faithful only to Goro...which would have been almost romantic, if she weren't a complete psycho. She was an attractive young woman: only the scar on the left side of her face lessened her beauty. There was no doubt she used her body to get close to powerful men.

"So, Goro, what brings you here?" Shun asked.

"Well, you wanted me, and here I am"

"So you're the one doing me a favour?"

Goro's eyes narrowed.

"We'll talk about the reason I came here. But first...can Ayako get some rest? We have been traveling from dusk to dawn, all the way from Gehiko"

Shun nodded.

"Very well"

He clapped his hands twice. A maid came in from a door on his right.

"I'm at his Majesty's orders" she said, with a curtsy.

"This woman is my guest. Show her a bedroom, and bring her food and water"

"Yes, your Majesty"

Ayako bowed her head again, and followed the maid out of the room.

"Look at you" Goro commented "You just clap your hands, and a servant rushes to your room. A pretty damn fine looking servant on top of that. You must be enjoying being _royalty_ "

Shun got up from the throne.

"This is one of the many differences between me and you, Goro" he said "You think life is about _enjoying_ yourself. I think life is about _duty..._ about achieving something of worth within the time we are given. Now that we are alone, let's talk"

He looked at Goro with a stern expression on his face.

"Why are you here? I thought the idea of working for me nauseated you. Why the sudden change of heart? Don't tell me, since you introduced yourself as my _brother_ , that you found a shred of brotherly affection in your heart"

Goro snorted.

"Don't flatter yourself. Living under the same roof for twelve years doesn't make you my brother. After all, I joined the Temple only a couple of years before the nuclear holocaust. I said that only to make the guards open those goddamn gates"

Shun's eyes narrowed.

"You _murdered_ two of my men"

Goro shrugged.

"They called us _freaks_. Both me and Ayako. I had to teach them a lesson"

Shun was looking at Goro with a threatening light in his eyes. Even though Goro would never admit it out loud, he was unnerved by that stare: so he quickly changed the subject.

"I'll tell you why I'm here: they are after me, your beloved _sisters_. They killed my best men in Zeruen: it was only a matter of days, maybe hours, before they showed up in Gehiko"

Shun was still looking at him with the utmost contempt.

"So you come to me asking for help...and you murder two of _my_ men, at the gates of _my_ city"

Goro clenched his fists; he had always hated being looked down upon. Expecially by Shun.

"Now listen here" he growled "I didn't come here to save _my_ life. I'd die a hundred deaths before kissing your ass. I wanted to save Ayako. Considering how brutally my men were murdered, Ayako would have not been spared. And I don't have the power to protect her"

"Of course you don't" Shun commented "Even one of those girls would have been too much for you to handle"

"Bullshit! I can deal with one of them!"

"Yeah, right. Says the guy who even failed our Mistress' test"

Goro was now seething with rage. He was breathing heavily, his nails sinking into his palms.

"That was no _test_ " he hissed through his teeth "That was _attempted murder_ "

Shun wasn't impressed.

"Considering what you were trying to do to the Mistress, you fully deserved it"

"Oh yeah? Well, she also got what she deserved, in the end"

Goro smiled. Shun decided to ignore that last sentence, and to focus on the matter at hand instead.

"I must say, it's pretty interesting. You came to me out of concern for _someone else_. No wonder you lost your head for that woman: you two share the same exact shade of pitch-black karma. You're both rotten to the core"

"Spare me the lecture. Are you going to take us in or not?"

Shun smirked.

"I will. You will be given chambers in this palace...you will have food, and clothes. I will grant you protection, but I don't want to see you or hear from you: you will stay out of my sight. In time, I'll find a way to put your strength to good use, Goro; until then, you will stay put. You won't hurt my soldiers...you won't hurt my servants...you won't even hurt the prostitutes of this city. Have I made myself clear?"

Goro bared his teeth in an arrogant smile.

"What, you think I'm just going to be your obedient dog from now on? If you think I'm going to start kissing your ass like the rest of your people here, then you can go fuck yours-..."

It happened in an instant.

Shun grabbed Goro by his throat, and lifted him off the ground.

Ki erupted from Shun's body, so dense that it could be _seen_ : a bright blue light enveloped him. A whirlwind suddenly encircled them, blowing tapestry and carpets away. His long, raven hair was dancing in the wind.

Goro was in shock: he had never seen such a display of power; more than that, he had never seen Shun so _furious._

" _You know what I wanted to do to you, last time we met in Gehiko?"_ Shun shouted " _When you told me what you did to Theresa, I wanted to kill you! I wanted to press every pressure point on your disgusting body, and give you the worst death Hokuto Shinken has to offer! Roxanne's best display of Mugoi Ken would have been merciful in comparison!"_

Goro was frightened. For the first time in a long time, he was truly frightened. Shun's eyes were piercing him, staring at his soul. He felt naked in front of them. Naked and helpless.

 _This is a true God of Death, the real deal_ , he thought. _Any other Sinful Fist user is just a pale imitation._

Nevertheless, he wasn't going to submit just yet.

"You're no better than me!" he uttered "Just how many innocent people have you murdered? Just how many women got raped by your soldiers?"

Shun clenched his jaw.

"I only allowed rape when it served a _purpose,_ and I only murdered when I had to. That's why you're still alive, Goro: that's why I fought back my rage. Because I'll save anyone that I can...even if my heart tells me otherwise"

The wind stopped. The blue light around Shun's body became faint, and finally disappeared. But the grip on Goro's throat was still firm.

"There is only one reason I let you live. You are a mad dog, the worst kind...I thought that if I could put a leash on you, then I could do it with everyone else too. If I could _reform_ you, then I would be fit to be King! Sparing your life, and putting your skills to good use, would have been proof of the purity of my mission! Proof that I could save people! So, you _will_ obey! You _will_ fall in line! Otherwise, I'm going to _end you!_ "

Goro was trembling, but he was too angry and humiliated to give up.

"I ain't afraid of you!"

At that point, unexpectedly, Shun chuckled.

"Oh Goro...you're amusing, really. I've never met someone as self-destructive as you. Always crying over yourself, always taking all the wrong decisions. Maybe there's a part of you, deep down, that _wants_ to die. But even so...even you can be hurt. Just try killing another one of my men...try hurting even only one of my people. Do that...and I will inflict the worst pain of Hokuto Shinken upon your precious Ayako. I'll torture her, and make you watch: she will wriggle in pain, begging for your help...and you won't be able to do a damn thing"

Those words froze the very blood in Goro's vein. It was no bluff, no empty threat: the man in front of him was being absolutely sincere.

 _This isn't Shun,_ he thought. _This can't be the self-righteous idiot I grew up with, always talking about the "right thing to do"._

"In short, you will _obey_ me..." Shun calmly said "or I will murder your little psycho friend in the most painful way possible"

He let Goro go.

The man fell heavily on his ass. He coughed a few times, bringing a hand to his throat.

"Damn" he muttered "and they call _me_ a freak"

Shun towered over him for a few seconds, with a sneer of contempt on his face. Then, he turned his back on him.

"Do as I say, and I will grant you my protection" he promised "But I hope you can do without me for a couple of days".

Goro was confused.

"What...where are you..."

"I'll be out of town for a bit"

Shun turned to look at him, and Goro saw a fierce light in his eyes.

"There is a place where I need to be"


	17. Chapter 17: A rat can only run so far

Naoya was regretting ever being born into this world.

He was only 19 years old, and he had already been a raider since the age of 16. Having heard of how invincible Goro was, he had decided to join his gang: one could only side with the strong, after all.

Oh, how he regretted that decision! Goro's gang was nothing like the rest. Raiders killed and stole from the weak in order to survive, with some occasional rape involved; while Goro's men were a bunch of blood-thirsty lunatics who killed and tortured just for fun. They spent most of their time playing cruel games involving the lives of Gehiko's villagers.

Since Naoya was so young, Goro ordered one of his men, Kyoden, to _educate_ him.

They had been living in the outskirts of Gehiko for a week now: every single day, Naoya had been forced to torture and kill people.

Now, they were standing in the middle of the street: Naoya had an iron crowbar in his hands, and was looking at the old man crawling at his feet.

"Hit him!" Kyoden ordered him, with a big, retarded grin on his face.

Naoya obeyed. The old man let out a prolonged moan of pain when the crowbar met his ribcage.

"This won't do, Naoya" Kyoden said, shaking his head " You should break his ribs. You should feel pleasure while doing so. I wonder...do you really have what it takes to be part of this gang? Maybe I should go back to Goro right now and tell him about your failure, so he can dispose of you"

Under that threat, Naoya hit harder. He felt the old man's ribs crack under the blow.

 _This town is cursed,_ he thought. _And the curse is called Goro. A curse that drags any men into a vortex of violence and folly._

"Good, very good" Kyoden complimented him "Now, bash his head: I want to see the color of his brain"

Naoya's heart had been hardened by three years of raiding: three years of hurting and killing innocent people. And yet, he felt nauseated at the idea of killing that man: that kind of violence felt so pointless...so gratuitous. Even so, he raised the crowbar above his head.

 _Maybe it's as they say,_ he thought. _Maybe I need to embrace it...embrace the feeling of being strong, invincible. Embrace the sadism. Maybe, that's the only way to avoid being completely broken by this place...the only way to retain a shred of sanity..._

While he was swinging down, something happened: a human silhouette approached him by his right, too fast for the eye to track; a hand barely touched his hip...and suddenly he let go of the crowbar, his right arm twisted behind his back.

"The hell!?"

He fell to his knees, and with much surprise he realized that he had just been hit by a woman: a blonde beauty who knelt beside the old man, and gently pressed a point on his back with two fingers.

"Don't worry, mister" she said " This will ease your pain. Your bones will heal in a few hours".

Naoya looked at Kyoden, waiting for his reaction, and his eyes widened: Kyoden was standing still as a statue, his face twisted by pain: a red-haired woman, wearing a pink dress and high heels, had stuck a finger deep into his nape. Two other beautiful women were standing by her side.

"It hurts too much to move, doesn't it?" the red-haired one mocked Kyoden "In a few seconds, it's going to hurt too much to even breathe. You will start to slowly suffocate as soon as I remove my finger: so, you better talk while you can. Where is Goro's hideout?"

 _They are using Goro's Fist!,_ Naoya realized. A sudden fear got the best of him: there was no way he could fight those women.

"...a building...in the central square...right in front of an inn...you can't miss it..."

"Good" the red-haired said, removing her finger from his nape " Now, enjoy your last painful moments before descending to hell".

Then, she set her blue eyes on Naoya.

"So young, and already so rotten?" she exclaimed, with a condescending look on her face "Geez, how old are you?"

"N-nineteen"

"Well, according to the Law of my Fist, you become of age as soon as you hit puberty...so, young or not, there's no way I'm sparing your life..."

"Wait, Roxanne" the tall brunette said " don't you feel his karma? It's pretty different from this one" she pointed at Kyoden, who was drooling, his mouth slightly opened in a desperate attempt to breathe.

"It's true" the dark-skinned one added, getting closer to Naoya and towering over him " I sense guilt. Lots of it"

"So what?" the woman called Roxanne uttered "He's still a killer, isn't he? Don't tell me you want to spare him, There-chan!"

The brunette looked at him with saddened eyes.

"I do" she muttered "He isn't fully rotten yet. And since he's so young, he can still change"

"Mhm...as you wish" Roxanne said " but I'm still going to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else. What should I take away from him? His legs? His hands? Or his eyes?"

" _Nooo, please!"_ Naoya uttered. He had seen how Goro was able to invalidate his victims for life: it was too horrible to even think about it. He crawled towards the brunette, desperately hoping for some compassion. He hugged her legs with only his left arm, since the right one was still twisted behind his back.

"I'll change my ways! I'll go back to my home village and work honestly, I swear it! Coming here is the worst thing that ever happened to me, so...please!"

The brunette remained silent for a few seconds. Then, she closed her eyes, and sighed.

"Just go" she said "hurry, before I change my mind"

"Y-yes! Thank you!"

Naoya got back on his feet and started to run away. He could hear the red-haired one mutter behind his back: "Sometimes you're too compassionate for your own good, There-chan"

* * *

Kyoden was on the verge of losing his mind to pain. He never felt anything like that: it was like having glass shards stuck in every single one of his muscles.

 _Enough_ , he thought, on the verge of crying. _I can't take it anymore._

"Very well" Roxanne said "let's go meet Goro"

She and the brunette turned their backs on him, and walked away. He turned to the dark-skinned one: he wanted to beg, but could only emit a few muffled sounds.

"Mmm, what could you possibly want of me, I wonder?" she asked "You seem too smart to think that I would ever save you, so...are you asking me to put you out of your misery, perhaps? If you can't nod, just blink twice to say yes"

Kyoden blinked.

"Weeell, I could do that" the woman said, with a mischievous smile " There's no Law that prevents me from doing so. But you know, Roxie-chain is very proud of her techniques...If I ruined it by interfering, she would be deeply offended. So...no can do! Bye-bye!"

She turned her back on him and walked away.

 _This can't be! Please, come back!_ He thought, but couldn't speak one word.

Then, he felt two fingers sticking deep into his back: a sudden wave of warm and pleasure spread from that point to all of his body. With much surprise, he suddenly found himself with an erection in his pants.

 _What_...

"My sisters are always so strict with guys like you" the blonde one whispered in his ear " But since you are going to burn in Hell anyway, there's no need for you to suffer this much. So, mister...let this be our little secret...feel some happiness in your last moments..."

Having said that, she walked away too. Kyoden felt his neck turning around against his will, on the point of breaking, but pleasure and sexual drive numbed his senses.

Even knowing he was about to die, as he reached climax, he couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude.

* * *

Devon was at the inn right in front of Goro's hideout, sitting at one of the outside tables. His bodyguard was sitting right in front of him; two sex-slaves were by his side, still pretty even though their faces were covered in bruises.

"As soon as Goro left, the others went into hiding" he said, raising a glass of wine "Those cowards! I'm not like them! They think Goro is hiding from some fearsome enemy, but that's bullshit! No-one is as strong as Gor-..."

He froze. A needle was sticking out from his bodyguard's throat: a couple of seconds later, blood spurted from his eyes and ears. The man fell from his chair, lifeless.

The sex-slaves let out a terrified scream.

"You were saying?"

Four women approached him from behind. The sex-slaves got up and fled.

"My, such a rotten karma" the red-haired one said " You must be one of Goro best men, for sure".

"This is...Goro's Fist..." the man realized, as he grew paler " Oh Gods..."

"Indeed"

The red-haired and the dark-skinned one sat beside him.

"Your women left, so you don't mind if we keep you company?" The red-haired continued " Now, tell us, mister: is Goro home?"

" He isn't!" Devon answered " He split town yesterday!"

The women looked at each other.

" _He fled?!_ " the brunette said, seething with anger.

" I expected as much" the dark-skinned one commented " We were too careless"

"So, where did he go?" The red-haired one asked, with a menacing look in her eyes.

" I-I can't tell you that!"

"Wrong answer..."

"No, wait, I mean it! I really can't tell you!" Devon uttered, with a pleading tone of voice " Before leaving, he hit our pressure points...he said if we revealed his destination to an enemy, we would instantly die!"

"That's a pretty complicated technique " the red-haired commented " Is Goro even capable of such a feat?"

"I think he is" the brunette answered " _Betrayal_ is something he cannot stand. So, he must have been pretty motivated to master this technique. And I have no doubts he practiced on a lot of innocent people"

"But we can still make you talk against your will" the dark-skinned one said "Too bad, you are going to tell us no matter what".

She stuck a finger deep into the man's chest.

"No, please, miss, don't do that, don't make me talk, I don't want to di-AAAAAH!"

Suddenly, his head exploded. Blood and brain matter tainted Roxanne and Mai's clothes.

"What did you do?" Theresa asked.

Mai looked at her own finger with a puzzled expression.

"Nothing. I just struck a tsubo to make him talk. I expected his head to blow up _after_ he talked, not before. There's no explanation for what just happened...unless..."

She turned to look her sisters in the eyes,

"It seems Goro mastered another complicated technique. He turned every tsubo on his men's body into a lethal one. It's an irreversible technique"

"Fuck" Roxanne uttered "That means we can't even use Hokuto Shinken to torture them! Well...we could torture them without using Hokuto... but since talking will get them killed, they will surely resist it for as long as they can..."

"I can't believe Goro just outsmarted us" Mai said.

"Uhm, but they can still reveal his location to someone they consider an ally, right?" Olga asked.

"Well, yes" Mai nodded " First, we need to find someone who doesn't know where Goro is...someone Goro didn't bother to tell anything, and that didn't have his pressure points manipulated. Someone who isn't worth Goro's time..."

* * *

Chester wasn't worth anyone's time. In Goro's gang, he was considered no more than a rat. A balding man in his late thirties, around 170 cm tall ( 5 ft 7) and with a huge belly, he was too weak and cowardly to fight. He only had one talent that led Goro to accept him in the gang: torturing.

Torturing was his passion, his pride: even if people considered him a rat, it didn't matter to him. After all, even before the world ended, he had always survived by hiding behind someone stronger than him. All he needed was food, protection, and the freedom to torture people. He always did his best to kiss Goro's ass, and now and then he was rewarded with some young, pretty woman. Young women were the best: he loved to torture them in any way possible, before fucking them...just like the naked girl who was now laying on the floor in front of him.

They were in the dungeon below Goro's hideout. He had stripped her: now, he was holding a white-hot iron in his hand.

"Please, no..." the girl begged, with tears in her eyes. Chester's grin grew wider. He pressed the iron against her right shoulder, forcing an high-pitched scream out of her mouth.

"Hehehe, we're just getting started, young lady" he giggled, drooling like a dog. Next, he pressed the iron on her left nipple. The screams of pain grew even louder.

"And now, the part I prefer..."

He put the iron between her legs. The way she screeched and wriggled almost drew him insane with excitement.

 _This is the best! The best feeling in the world!_ he thought, fully aware of the erection in his pants.

In that moment, someone burst into the dungeon: he was one of Goro's men, who was supposed to guard the entrance of the hideout. He had a terrified expression on his face.

"They are butchering us like animals!" He yelled.

"W-who is!?" Chester asked.

"Women of Hokuto Shin-..."

The guard head grew like a ballon and exploded, splattering the walls with blood.

As the beheaded body fell, Chester saw the four beautiful women standing behind it.

 _Oh no..._

"Oh, heavens" the blonde one said, looking at the girl on the floor, who had just passed out from pain. She moved a few steps forward and knelt beside her, completely ignoring Chester.

"How disgusting" the red-haired shortie commented.

The brunette was seething with anger. She moved one step towards him.

"When I'm done with you, there's going to be nothing left" she stated, looking at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Wait, Theresa" the red-haired one said "Let me handle him"

She approached Chester, who immediately let go of the white-hot iron and fell to his knees.

Chester was afraid of many things, but there was one thing the completely and utterly terrorized him: Hokuto Shinken. Goro had shown him plenty of times how brutal that Fist could be: and now, wielders of that hellish Fist had appeared in front of him, and they were _enemies_. This was the worst possible scenario.

 _Why didn't the higher-ups tell me about these monsters?_ He thought. _If only I knew such monsters existed, I would had left Goro's gang in the middle of the night, without even looking back!_

"Wait!" He begged "Please don't hurt me! I'm just a humble servant...I do as I am told, that's all...I was only torturing this girl because Goro threatened to kill me!"

"Quit your bullshit" the red-haired said "Now, you wouldn't happen to know where Goro is, right?"

"How could I know? I am a nobody in Goro's gang...I don't matter...so nobody tells me anything! He left Gehiko with his woman yesterday, that's all I know!"

"His woman?"

"Yes! Her name is Ayako! She's a true psycho, just like Goro! She loves to torture and kill innocent people!"

Chester tried to provide them with as much information as possible, bringing their attention on someone else; that's how he always survived: by making people around him look bigger, so he could look small in comparison and not stand out. But the red-haired woman saw through his scheme.

"You use your uselessness as a shield...since you don't _matter,_ you think you are safe. Oh my, you don't even know how wrong you are. I like men like you the most. You matter _to me_. Now...are there any men in this town who know where Goro went?"

"Yes! Right now, they are located in a hideout, just outside of town!"

"Very well. My name is Roxanne: you better remember it. From now on, I shall be your Mistress, and you will do as you're told. Your name is?"

The man put on a nervous, hopeful smile: if he was being given orders, then he was probably going to be spared. Once again, he had managed to side with the strong.

" My name is Chester! I will gladly be your servant!"

"Oh, Chester...you don't get to be my servant. You are going to be my _bitch_ "

Having said that, she raised her hand.

With a violent, quick move, she struck a point on his forehead with the tip of her index.

Chester froze, as he perceived an unpleasant feeling spread to all of his body.

Roxanne had a sadistic smile on her face.

"I've just struck the pressure point known as Gakuchu" she explained " In a few moments, you will die with your head exploding into pieces"

"What!? This can't be happening...!"

Suddenly, he felt a searing pain just under his scalp. He brought both of his hands to his balding head, and felt lumps of flesh expanding and throbbing under his fingers.

"NOOOO PLEASE!" he pleaded, crawling at Roxanne's feet "It hurts, it hurts so much! Please, Mistress, I'll do anything! Make it stop!"

Roxanne pressed a point on his back: pain ceased, and a sudden pleasure overwhelmed him; it felt like heavens. Chester remained laying at the woman's feet, still panting from pain and now also drooling from pleasure.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" she teased him " My Fist can deliver the most intense pain _and_ the most intense pleasure. But I didn't actually save you just now: I just delayed your death by 24 hours".

Chester looked up, staring in her merciless blue eyes.

"Roxanne-sama..." he moaned in terror.

"Do you understand now? You are my _bitch_. Only we can press the tsubo on your back that will save your life...and if you want to earn a tiny, tiny chance of that happening, you will obey my every order and please me in any way I see fit"

The brunette giggled.

"Seems like your life is in Roxanne's hands now. Good luck with that" she said.

"Now" the red-haired continued "the first thing I want you to do is to find out where Goro went".

"Y-yes!"

It wasn't going to be easy, but he could do it.

"The second thing I want you to do...is to kill any men who can still be considered one of Goro's gang higher-ups".

 _What!?That's insane!_

"B-but that's impossible!" he said "There's eight of them, and they are all stronger than me!"

"Sucks to be you" she said with a shrug "I should let you know that I use the Hokuto Mugoi Ken, a most painful variant of the Hokuto Sinful Fist. If you don't do as you are told, you are going to die a horrible death. At this point, you can't disobey me or try to flee. Want me to describe what's gonna happen to you? First, your teeth will fall off. Then, your tongue will swell up, followed by your face and head. It will feel like _burning alive._ And in a few seconds..."

She stuck her tongue out and puffed her cheeks, grabbing the sides of her face: it would have been comical, if it wasn't the depiction of a painful death. Then, she suddenly moved her hands apart from her head.

"Boom" she simply said. She gently smiled at him.

"Now...disappear from my sight and don't you dare to come back before you're done"

Chester didn't need her to add anything: he ran outside of the dungeon, scared out of his wits.

 _I must do it,_ he thought _. I don't know how, but I must do it! I can't die like that!_

* * *

An hour later, Chester was feeling a lot calmer.

After running out of the dungeon, he had nearly experienced a panic attack and thrown up. But then, slowly but steadily, he had regained some composure.

Chester was no fool. The very fact that he had managed to survive for ten years after he nuclear holocaust was proof of that. Usually, weak people like him ended up dead very quickly: but he always found his way out of a tight spot.

Now, he was pushing a wheelbarrow across the city, headed for the higher-ups' hideout. The wheelbarrow was filled with enough fresh meat and bottles of wine to feed ten people. Taking all of that from the city's storehouse had cost him any bit of money he had saved up in those years: Goro had ordered that his men could take food only by giving up something of equal value, like money or gasoline, and the two men guarding the place would never let a rat like Chester take that much for free.

 _I lost it all,_ he thought. _All the money I made by kissing asses, betraying comrades and always siding with the strong. But I don't care, as long as I can leave this place alive..._

While walking, he noticed a crowd of villagers in an alley.

 _What the hell are they up to?_

Then, he noticed the blonde Hokuto girl. Four of Goro's soldiers were laying dead on the ground, in a pool of their own blood, and she was tending to the wounds of two young boys. Most likely, she had caught those soldiers torturing the boys and intervened.

"Hey!" a villager screamed, pointing at him "Look over there! He's the torturer! That sneaky, disgusting rat!"

"He tortured my daughter to death!" another one yelled "He's mine!"

The entire crowd charged at him.

 _Oh Gods, no._

Focused as he was on the prospect of his own head blowing up, Chester had made a fatal mistake: he forgot about the villagers. This happened because, while Chester was just a rat, Gehiko's villagers were maggots who fled in front of a rat. They weren't allowed to touch him: Goro would have butchered the entire family of anyone who dared raise a hand against one of his men, no matter how unimportant. But now that women with the same powers as Goro had appeared, things had changed.

The villagers quickly reached him: they punched him in the face, knocking him down, and started to kick him as he hopelessly tried to shield his head and face.

They would have kicked him to death, if a female voice didn't shout:

"Stop! Please, everyone, just stop!"

After landing a few more hits that almost broke Chester's spine, the villagers stopped and looked at the Hokuto girl, who was coming forward.

"Please, everyone, I understand how you feel" she said " But I assure you, this man is already being punished by my sisters, according to the Laws of Hokuto! His punishment will be severe! So I beg of you...if I earned your gratitude by helping these poor younglings...please let him be!"

The crowd slowly started to scatter; some of them didn't look quite convinced, by they weren't going to antagonize a Hokuto Shinken user.

Chester looked at the blonde woman from the ground, and an idea hit him.

 _She looks pretty dumb. The kind of woman who takes pleasure in helping out others. She's my ticket out of this town._

"Please!" he begged, crawling towards her " I know I deserve this fate...your sister was right in punishing me...but I'm far too weak to accomplish what she asked of me...at this rate, I'm going to end up dead! I beseech you...I did something wrong, but I don't want to die...not like that! You got the eyes of a kind-hearted person...for the love of the Gods, press the tsubo on my back! If you do, I promise to do good...I'll start a new life! So please...I'm putting all of my hopes on your mercy!"

The woman was looking at him with what looked like compassion: he could see sadness in her blue eyes.

 _I made it, I convinced her!_ he thought, hiding his grin.

But then she shook her head.

"You are being punished according to the Laws of Hokuto, and I won't interfere with that. Your sins call the judgment of the Heavens upon you"

" What!? Does that mean you never spared a sinner?! Don't you have a shred of human compassion in your heart!?"

"I spared criminals...even killers, when I sensed they were actually remorseful and willing to change. But you...you are not remorseful: you are just scared. You are rotten to the core: no matter where you'll go, you are going to hurt people. Usually, I would grant the likes of you a painless death...but honestly, Mister, I don't want to do even that".

"...what?"

The woman was now giving him a cold gaze.

"What you did to that girl in the dungeon was too cruel, Mister" she explained "I'm not saying that I would never ever give you a merciful death...but I'm not going to grant it to you just like that. You'll have to beg. Beg me to end your life. If you can't do even that...then may Roxanne have mercy on you"

Chester could not say anything.

 _Begging for a painless death!? That's just nuts! I want to live!_

Seeing he wasn't going to plead, the woman bowed her head.

"I see" she said "This being the case, I wish you good luck with the task my sister gave you"

* * *

The hideout was two miles out of town: just a common building on the side of the road.

A single soldier was standing guard in front of the entrance, with a sheathed sword hanging from his belt: Chester knew him well.

His name was Shozo: they had known each other for a few years, and joined Goro's gang together. Shozo was better suited for fighting, so he became a soldier, which put him above Chester: despite this, he was the only one who didn't treat Chester like utter garbage.

"Hey, what are you doing here? What's that?" he asked as Chester got closer.

"I brought food and wine for the higher-ups!" Chester said, feigning a smile " Don't worry, I paid for all of it!"

"By the Gods, are you insane?!" Shozo uttered "Taking this much from the storehouse could anger them, even if you paid for it! Even if you did it for them! Besides, wine and fresh meat are incredibly expensive...we usually survive on bread, water and dried meat! Did you just spend all of your money just to kiss their asses?!"

"Please, Shozo" Chester begged " Don't ask me any questions, but I got to do this. Help me out, will you?"

The soldier scratched the side of his head. He probably thought that Chester did something wrong, the kind of mistake that could get him killed by the higher-ups,and that now he wanted to butter them up with a feast.

"I'll try to talk to them" he said, turning his back on him and walking inside the building. A minute later, a tall muscular man got out: Iruka, Goro's favourite underling after Daryl.

He looked at the goods in the wheelbarrow; then he just walked to Chester and slapped him in the face, with enough strength to knock him down.

"What's the big idea, uh?" He asked "Showing up here with all of this food...I know you like ass-kissing, but this is too much, even from you. Has something happened in town?"

"N-nothing, I swear! I just thought you would appreciate this!"

"...so you just like the taste of our shit this much? Ok. Since you paid for all of this, I won't gut you like a fish. And since we are going to stay here until Goro is back, we may as well throw a party. Come inside: you are going to cook that meat for us"

* * *

Three hours later, Goro's best eight men were completely drunk. Some of them were sleeping with their heads on the table, heavily snoring.

Chester was standing in a corner of the room, with a bottle in his hands, tasked with filling their cups as soon as they were empty.

Now that his plan was almost completed, he was sweating profusely: the most dangerous part was drawing near.

He had thought of poisoning the food, but he had no idea of where to find any poison: getting them drunk was the best he could think of.

"I tell you, hiding here is for the best" Iruka was saying in a drunken slur to a half-asleep guy "Goro wouldn't have performed his "anti-betrayal magic" on us if he wasn't scared of someone. Damn, that bastard...doing his weird thing to us, and running away just like that. Hey, Chester! My cup is empty, you dumb pig!"

"But where could have the boss disappeared to?" Chester asked while pouring wine "Will he ever come back?"

Chester was trying to hold his hands back from shaking: that was the kind of question that could get him killed.

 _Please, not now,_ he begged the Gods. _Not now that I'm this close!_

But Iruka just answered him:

"He went to some place North...some shitty place called Thorvesk. He says he's acquainted with the King...ah, fuck! Don't ask me shit like that! Thank the Gods I don't see you as an enemy, or my head would have exploded!"

But he didn't look too angry. Chester felt some relief...but the real hard part was coming now.

"Can I bring some wine to Shozo?" He asked.

"Tsk...suit yourself. Just a cup, though: leave the bottle here"

When Chester got out and handed the cup to Shozo, the soldier looked surprised.

"I didn't think they would be so kind to leave something for me" he said.

"I asked them to"

"Did you? Damn, Chester...you are not so bad after all"

"Hey, we are just fodder to them, remember? So we need to watch each other's back"

"Guess you are right. Being able to rely on someone even in this dark times...sure feels nice".

Shozo sipped the wine, staring into the distance. In that moment, Chester covered his mouth and stabbed him in the back with a kitchen knife. Shozo let out a muffled scream, and struggled.

 _Please die!_ Chester thought, with tears of fear in his eyes. _Please just die!_

A few moments later, Shozo stood still. Chester carefully laid his body on the ground, trying to not make any sound.

He felt like crying: they weren't actually friends, but Shozo was the only person he liked. And he had just killed him. He had too, otherwise Shozo would have surely fought and killed him...but he still felt a deep desperation getting the best of him.

 _Just how much am I losing in a single day?_

But that was no time to just sit down and cry. With trembling hands, he unsheathed Shozo's sword. He walked into the building again.

Out of eight men, five were sleeping, and the remaining three were too drunk to stand.

Iruka raised his head from the table: he saw the crazed look in Chester's eyes, and noticed the sword.

"Hey, what are you...?"

Chester charged forward, slashing right through Iruka's neck.

The other men around the table tried to react, reaching for their weapons with slowed down movements, but Chester didn't allow them: he hit them again and again, voicing all of his desperation and will to live with a single battle cry.

* * *

Back in Gehiko, Chester was kneeling in front of Roxanne, who looked at him with sincere surprise on her face.

"Well" she said "I must admit, I didn't expect you to make it. I can tell you are not lying...one like you could never dream of fooling me, after all. Impressive...you did amazingly good...and now, we even know Goro went to Shun..."

"Does that mean you are going to save me, Roxanne-sama?" Chester asked, with hope in his eyes.

"Not so fast. You still got almost 20 hours left to live. Until then, you are still my bitch"

She walked to a table and picked something in her hands.

"Look what I found in Goro's hideout" she said "This was part of a sculpture...doesn't surprise me, knowing how vulgar Goro is..."

Chester grew paler. The thing in Roxanne's hands was a big dildo made of stone.

She licked the tip of it, covering it in saliva. Then, she started to slowly approach him with a sadistic light in her eyes.

"Drop your pants and underwear, Chester" she whispered "Let's have some fun..."

* * *

It was morning.

Roxanne was sitting in a chair: Chester was giving her a feet massage.

He had been pleasing her all night, while she had been hitting him, pressing tsubos to inflict pain on him and humiliating him...not to mention, Chester's ass was still bleeding.

"Mistress, please" he begged, on the verge of crying " My time is almost up...please, save me!"

Roxanne snorted.

"Well, I guess you _did_ everything I asked you. The oral sex I forced you to do wasn't half bad...you really put your heart into things when your life is on the line, uh? And this feet massage is also pretty good. You also found out where Goro is, and murdered all of the higher-ups for me...well, are you going to change your ways if you walk out of here alive?"

"I am! I swear to you!" he said. He was telling the truth: Roxanne had _broken_ him. He was too traumatized to even think about torturing someone.

"Mmm I wonder if I should save you..."

She stared at him for a long, long time, with a stern look on her face. Chester was sweating profusely.

"...okay then. But try to be a better person, have I made myself clear?"

" Yes! Oh, Mistress, thank you!"

He turned his back on her and bent over, lifting his undershirt up.

Her finger, cold against his skin, gently pressed a tsubo on his back.

Warm and pleasure spread once again to all of his body.

"Now leave this town and never come back"

"Yes!"

He ran to the wooden door and laughed, while drooling from pleasure. He finally made it: he was free. He was saved. Once again, he had his whole life ahead of him.

"I will be forever thankful, Roxanne-sam..."

The door exploded into a million pieces, as a human finger burst through it and violently landed on his forehead.

Chester wobbled backwards, as he watched through the large hole in the door: the dark skinned woman was cheerfully smiling at him.

"Whoops" she said "I was just pushing the door open, and my hand slipped"

She walked in, as Chester slowly got back. He turned his head to the red-haired girl.

"Roxanne-sama..." he moaned, in a pleading tone of voice.

Roxanne was also smiling, like she had expected that to happen.

"How unfortunate" she said "Mai also hit the Gakuchu pressure point...and she also used the Hokuto Mugoi Ken. In a few seconds, your life will be over"

" _No, please! I'll do anything!"_

"Vey well, come closer and I'll tell what you need to do for me to save you again".

Chester got closer, with a hopeful look on his face.

"Closer. Don't be shy. I can't say it out loud in front of Mai!"

He got even closer: he was just two inches away from her. Then, Roxanne blew a raspberry, spraying saliva all over his face.

"Hahaha, you _imbecile_!" she laughed "Did you honestly think I would save you _twice?!_ Just die already! After I let you taste my sweet pussy, you should be more than happy to offer your life as compensation!"

"T-This can't be..."

Chester looked at Mai. Something in her attitude was giving him the creeps: still, he knelt before her.

"Please!" He begged " I'll be your bitch, your slave! Hit me, rape me, force to me to do the most appalling things, I don't care! But please...just press the tsubo on my back!"

"The tsubo on your back, you say? I can't remember where it is" Mai said, feigning shock.

"Uh? B-but..."

Pain started.

He felt his mouth open against his will. Teeth fell out, pushed out from each cavity by blood pressure. His tongue swelled up and stuck out of his mouth; at the same time, his cheeks expanded as well, covered in veins; throbbing flesh engulfed his eyes, blinding him; the pain was similar to having a thousand white-hot needles stuck in his face. Tears ran down from under the lumps covering his eyes.

" _Pleashe no!_ " he tried to scream, while grabbing his face and rolling around on the floor from the pain " _I'll do unyfing, pleashe fergiv me!_ "

"Roxie-chan, what is he saying?" Mai asked, playing dumb "I really can't tell!"

Roxanne shrugged.

"I guess he's saying that a rat can only run so far before it runs into a corner"

Chester few remaining hairs fell off. His head swelled up into many throbbing lumps of flesh that tore his scalp apart, revealing the muscles underneath. It was like having molten iron poured right under his skin. It felt like burning alive.

He tried to grab his head, but the pain was too intense to allow him to coordinate his movements: his hands could only frantically claw at the air.

In that moment, Chester could only pray that the pain would end soon.

As his head exploded, splattering his brain all over the ceiling, his final wish was granted to him.


	18. Chapter 18: Carry the Sadness

Saya was riding the motorbike across the desert, the wind howling in her ears.

Reiju was sitting behind her, with her arms around Saya's chest. As usual, her face was covered with a veil.

 _First, we need to reach Eiras village,_ the Princess had said, _When I was still a child, my father used to bring me to the villages around Thorvesk, so I would meet each chief and learn how to build thriving and friendly relationship. I can reveal my identity to Eiras village chief: I trust him with my life. After that, I need to learn what happened to General Yoshimasa, of the Taizan Sword style: he was my father bodyguard, and he's the person I trust the most in the whole world. He's like an uncle to me: I don't know what happened to him after I fled Thorvesk, but if he's still alive, he will surely help me regain the throne._

In that moment, Saya's eyes caught smoke rising from behind a sand dune.

"Someone is in trouble" she yelled, overcoming the wind.

"Let's go" Reiju yelled back.

Saya rode up to the top of the dune and stopped the motorbike. She looked down...and what she saw turned her stomach.

A family traveling across the desert had been attacked. Their van was now burning; five corpses were lying on the sand: a man, a woman and three children.

Reiju covered her mouth with a hand, her bright green eyes filling with tears.

"How horrible" she whispered.

Four raiders had lit a fire not far from the corpses, and were now roasting the stolen meat.

Saya clenched her fists.

"Reiju, you stay here" she said through her teeth. "I will handle this".

Reiju remained silent for a moment; then, she shook her head.

"Not this time" she said " Not after what they've done. I'm coming with you"

* * *

Hiroya was in a good mood.

Not being part of a big gang was hard: any prey in the area would be claimed by bigger groups of bandits, leaving him only leftovers. But now that Thorvesk had risen in military mights, defending the villages in the region, larger gangs were keeping their distance. This allowed Hiroya and his three buddies to assault small group of travelers undisturbed.

"To think that these assholes would be hiding this much food!" he said, giving a spiteful glances at the lifeless bodies on the ground. His teeth sank in a piece of roasted meat.

"You're too hot-tempered, Hiroya" another bandit complained "Killing that woman on the spot...I wanted to have some fun with her, first!"

"Quit your bitching, will you? She hit me. A woman, hitting a man! Isn't that crazy? What was I supposed to do, beside killing her?"

" _And what am I supposed to do, besides killing you all?"_

The four of them turned their heads: a woman was standing behind them.

In that very moment, the neck of one of them exploded. The head flew across the air, landing in Hiroya's lap.

"EEEEEW!" Hiroya screamed, pushing the head away "What is this!"

Then, he remembered.

Words had spread from one bandit to another: that some powerful gangs in the South had been completely slaughtered by a few women.

"The F-Fist of the N-North Star..." he stuttered in disbelief.

The woman had a stern look on her face, but she cracked a merciless smile.

"So you undestand how desperate your situation is. Good" she said, moving a few steps forward.

"FUCK YOU, BITCH!" another raider yelled, swinging his sword.

Then, the eyes of all three remaining bandits got wide: the woman had caught the blade between two fingers.

"Is this the extent of your might?" she commented "How boring".

She punched the guy in the face, sending him flying. The man heavily landed on the ground; then, he started to get up.

"Oh Gods..." Hiroya moaned, unable to move.

The man face had been carved inward by the punch. His nose had literally disapperead inside of his head.

" _W-what"_ he said _"Why are shou looking at me like dish...I shon't feel unything..."_

Then, his head swelled up and exploded. Scraps of brain matter and bone shards flew in every direction.

"Fuck, I'm getting out of here" a third bandit said. Instead of running to the jeep, he just run away from the Hokuto woman by foot: he had probably lost his mind, and just wanted to get as far away from her as possible.

But the man stopped; a veiled girl was standing in his way. The bandit unsheathed his sword, but hesitated: this girl could be a monster too.

"Please, let me go!" he begged, with tears in his eyes.

The girl's bright green eyes narrowed.

"No way in hell" she said, in a bitter tone of voice.

"Is that so...then...DIEEEEEE!"

He charged at her, bringing down his sword; moving with superhuman agility, she easily dodged the blow and moved her hands across the air. She didn't even touch him: and yet, the man's body fell apart like sliced meat.

Hiroya was about to throw up.

 _I can't just sit here!_ He thought, _I must go!_

The jeep was right behind him. Moving as quick as a man who's running for his life, he reached for it. The vehicle didn't have a roof, so he just jumped in. He reached for the keys in his pants.

 _Damn it, I must be quicker than this!_

Then, he saw the Hokuto woman standing in front of the jeep. She grabbed the front of the vehicle. Veins started to pop on her arms, as her muscles slightly grew bigger.

"H-hey...what are you doing..." Hiroya cried.

Then, the jeep was flipped upside down.

He found himself crushed by the vehicle from the waist down. His legs had been broken: he screamed at the top of his lungs from the pain. In that moment, the woman foot, wearing a sandal, descended upon his face, pinning it to the ground.

The pressure was so great, he thought he heard his facial bones creak under it.

 _She will just smash me under her foot, like a cockroach._

That thought was too horrible to bear.

" _Noooo, please!"_ he cried out "Have mercy! I swear, I'll never kill anyone again! I'll change my ways! But for the love of the Gods, just let me go!"

He was being sincere; his fear was so great, that he really thought about changing his ways.

 _If working the fields means I'll never have to deal with these kind of monsters again, then I'll work the fields until my spine breaks!_

"Letting you go?" she said, raising an eyebrow "Trust me, that's the one thing you _don't want_ me to do"

"W-what? What do you mean?"

"I already sent ki through my sandal and into your pressure points. As soon as I remove my foot, you're going to die".

"N-no way!"

"So, should I remove my foot now?"

" Wait! Please, wait! You can still save me, can't you?"

"Of course I can. But why should I?"

"I'll literally do anything you ask! Anything! Just name what you want!"

"Anything, uh?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm herself down and took a deep breath.

"You know what? Okay. I'll offer you a fair deal"

Hiroya felt tears of relief filling his eyes.

"Oh, bless you..." he whispered, cracking a smile.

She pointed at the corpses of the innocent traveleres lying on the ground.

"Here's the deal: you undo what you did to them...and I'll undo what I did to you"

The smile died on Hiroya's face.

"But...but that's impossible!"

"Is it? Then, I guess _anything_ is still not enough to convince me to spare your life"

She lifted her foot from his face, and started to walk away.

"No, wait...this is a joke, isn't it?" Hiroya laughed nervously "I get it, it's a joke! I deserve to be pranked like this...but I promise to do good from now on...I promise..."

He could not speak further. A sudden pain, deep inside his skull, forced an high-pitched scream out of him. Before he knew it, his face had split in two.

The sand drank the blood spurting from his head.

* * *

An hour later, they had buried all the corpses, including the raiders.

Reiju had questioned Saya on why bother burying such lowlives: she wasn't against that act of mercy, but she definitely didn't expect it from Saya.

 _It's not about mercy_ , the Hokuto woman had answered, _it's about safety. We are on a stealth mission; I can't leave around corpses with wounds that only Hokuto Shinken can inflict...and we expecially can't afford to leave around the body of someone killed by your Fist._

They chanted a Buddhist prayer for the dead; then, Saya had to sit down.

"This is too much, you know" she said looking at the graves, her eyes clouded with sadness.

"I know. It's horrible" Reiju said, sitting beside her "Kids are getting killed like this anywhere in the world"

She had watched Saya lay down the children bodies in the graves with a shocked look on her face.

Saya shook her head.

"It's not just that" she explained "Anywhere I go is the same: some lowlives kill innocent people...and I kill them. Day after day, the story repeats itself. You would think that, by now, I am accustomed to what these people are capable of...and yet, sometimes they still manage to shock me".

Saya took a sip of water from her canteen before continuing.

"I remember the first time I killed a man. It was not too long after I left the Temple, wandering the South in search of Shun and Goro. You would think that he was some raider, or some evil bandit chief...nothing like that. He was just a villager. He saw me wander the streets of his hometown, and decided he wanted to rape me"

"That's terrible" Reiju commented.

"It is. He was a criminal...but still, he hadn't hurt anyone in his life yet. He was hungry, frustrated...panhandling and stealing to survive. You know, I always felt that suffering is no excuse for evil...but sometimes, I find myself thinking that these times are to blame, turning men into beasts"

"What happened?"

"At first, I tried to restrain him non-lethally. I pushed him away and, in doing so, I paralyzed one of his arms and provided him with crippling pain, like he had just been hit by a taser. But then, I felt his killing intent. The pain had enraged him: he unsheathed a knife and tried to stab me"

Saya sighed.

"I acted by reflex. I'm supposed to be the incarnation of the Goddess of Death: through meditation, my sisters and I achieved a state where we can perform the appropriate action without thinking. I felt his rotten karma and his killing intent, and my arm moved on his own.

I poked his forehead...a simple, harmless poke. I immediately regretted doing so, but it was already too late: three seconds later, his head exploded. It was the first time I saw someone die like that...I puked"

Saya put on a bitter smile.

"I was so disgusted by my own Fist, that I wanted to use it as little as possible. You have no idea of how many bad guys I spared back then...but during the six months I wandered the South, my heart has been hardened: because most of those times I showed mercy, someone innocent died as a result. Who knows how many innocent lives I have on my coscience? See, I _knew_ I shouldn't have spared those guys. I _knew_ they were just crying and begging out of fear, and their promise to do good were lies. But I hoped...somewhere deep in my heart I hoped that they would really change, and that killing them was not necessary. I was proven wrong, times and times again. Last time, my carelessness has cost the life of a girl younger than you: her name was Aiko".

Reiju put an arm around Saya's shoulders, conforting her.

"So, I decided I would kill. Kill and kill again. Showing mercy only to those deserving of it. And now...most of the time, when they beg and crawl at my feet, I feel nothing"

She looked Reiju in the eyes.

"When you told me _mercy is for those who don't deserve it_ I really wanted to believe it. That's when I spared that guy, Fujimaro...but I can't live according to something like that. I would love to, but I can't. Because, right now, there's a part of me convinced that Fujimaro has already hurt someone in the last few days...that sparing him was a mistake"

"You can't know that" Reiju said "so don't torment yourself over it"

"Even that guy we just buried...the guy who beseeched me to spare his life...he said he would change his ways, and he _meant it_. In that moment, he was being sincere. And there's a part of me that wanted to let him go. But I knew, it was just the fear talking: in a couple of days, he would have gone back to his wicked ways"

"It's hard to choose the right thing to do"

"It is. I may be the Goddess of Death...but I also am Saya. I'm both. The Goddess of Death knows no mercy for the wicked...but Saya does. Saya doesn't like killing, yet she's forced to do so day after day. And now, Saya is able to watch a man's head explode without blinking an eye...and this _scares_ me. Being a Goddess of Death...bathing myself in blood day after day...I feel it eating away at me. Sometimes, I just don't know who I am anymore..."

Reiju remained silent for a few seconds, staring intensely at her.

Then, she spoke:

"My father once told me this: Nanto and Hokuto are two sides of the same coin. So, in some way, he was a God of Death too. But a man can't truly become a God: if he tries too hard, he will lose himself in the process. He told me to pursue justice...but to never forget my compassion. Compassion is what will keep you human"

"But how!?" Saya asked " How can I retain my compassion, when I'm forced to take lives every day?"

"By carrying the sadness"

Reiju stared into Saya's eyes.

"Carry everyone's sadness. The sadness of the innocent people you couldn't save...the sadness of the wicked men that you couldn't spare. When there's really no way out of it, when you know you can't do anything but kill...then, make sure they didn't die in vain. Make a promise to them: that you will build a world where a man won't become a beast; a world where no-one will have to join a gang; where no-one will have to steal and kill, losing himself to a path of evil only to end up brutally murdered by Hokuto Shinken. Carry their sadness in your heart, and you will become the hope for a new world"

Saya was speechless; suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat, and tears of gratitude watered her eyes. She hugged Reiju.

"Your father was a wise man, you know"

"I know" Reiju said, with a sad smile "I wish he was still here with me"


	19. Chapter 19: I stand at the pinnacle!

In the west wing of the Royal Palace, Goro was breathing heavily, standing alone in the empty hall.

Sweat was pouring down his naked torso. The stone statue before him was covered in many cracks and dents, marking the spots where his fists landed. He had carefully drawn pressure points on the statue with a marker pen: he had managed to hit them with 90% accuracy.

 _Fuck!,_ he thought to himself, grinding his teeth. _Nine out of ten is not goood enough!_

He took a fighting stance once more: he wasn't going to stop until he fully mastered the technique.

He had been training like crazy since the day before: it was the only thing he could do in that cursed city, the only thing that brought him relief.

He had tried wandering the streets for a bit. He had walked into a tavern and asked for a drink. But he was like a lion in a cage: all those people staring at him, looking at his deformed head like he was a freak...and he couldn't lay a finger on them. Normally, he would have crushed those maggots without a second thought...but Shun had made himself clear. He had to _behave_.

Wine couldn't calm him down. He had thought about looking for a prostitute, but immediately set the idea aside: what fun could a prostitute provide, if he had to _pay_ her and couldn't even _hurt_ her?

So, training was the only way to let off steam: working out until all of his muscles ached, losing himself in the process, channelling all of his rage and hate into it.

After all, spending too much time with Ayako was no good either: he was so frustrated he would eventually lash out on her. Even his head has started to hurt more than usual: in such condition, he would end up actually hurting her.

 _Or killing her._

That thought stirred up an old memory: a dog. The scrawny, flea-ridden dog that used to lick his hand long ago. Back when he used to sleep out in the streets, without even a blanket to shield him from cold, clinging to that dog was the only thing that kept him warm. At the memory Goro felt a sting of true, unadulterated pain in his heart. The pain quickly turned into rage.

He jumped at the statue, hitting it with hundreds of punches. His fists smashed through the stone, blowing it into a thousand pieces.

After that, he stood still for a moment, catching his breath as he contemplated the results of his attack.

 _Shit, I need to find another statue._

He was not going to stop. Bad memories were like fuel to him: he was now remembering the stern look the Mistress had on her face, the day he forced him to take the _test._ The mere thought of that smug _cow_ ignited a fire in his guts, a fire that he would usually put off by brutally murdering innocent people, but that he was now forced to channel into his training.

 _Who knows. Maybe coming here was a good decision after all. I'll get better and better...and when they come for me, I'll be ready._

* * *

Saya spotted the man first.

He was laying on his back, a dark silhouette against the brightness of the dunes. A motorbike was laying right next to him, knocked over and half-covered by sand.

"Over there!" Saya yelled to Reiju, as she steered the vehicle towards him.

Only when they got closer, Saya was able to sense the man's rotten karma.

 _A raider!_

"He's still alive!" Reiju exclaimed, jumping down from the motorbike as it stopped.

The bandit was looking into the sky above with dead eyes. His panting and wheezing was hard to hear. A stab wound on his belly, probably made by a sword, was condemning him to a slow death.

"W-water" he whispered "please"

Saya hesitated only for a moment. Then, she got hold of her canteen, and knelt beside the man.

She gently raised his head, and brought the canteen to his lips. The man drank eagerly.

"Who did this to you?" she asked "Other raiders?"

The man snorted.

"I guess you could say so. We were attacking Enoch village. But the villagers sent smoke signals, and the Thorvesk army marched out of the city gates to help them"

"Thorvesk army!?"

Reiju's eyes widened.

"Yes. Those bastards...more than a hundred horsemen...we never stood a chance. And the guy leading them...a swordsman...he was some kind of martial artist...butchered like animals"

Saya saw Reiju grow paler.

"It can't be" she whispered "General Yoshimasa, of the Taizan sword style, was my father's bodyguard. He was _my_ bodyguard. There's no way he's working for Shun now"

"I got away" the raider groaned "but I lost track of my comrades. And here I am...slowly dying like a dog..."

"We'll find out the truth" Saya reassured Reiju "We'll head to Eiras village in a minute. But first, let me deal with this man"

"Deal with him? What do you mean?"

Saya looked at the raider with sadness in her eyes.

"This man has a very rotten karma. He has innocent blood on his hands. On a different occasion, I would have showed him no mercy. But...he already paid for his crime. He's been in agony for hours. Now, I will put him to rest, peacefully"

She gently touched a spot on his chest, with just the point of a finger. The man froze for a second, as if perceiving something: then, his muscles relaxed.

"I pressed a point that will slow down your heart beat, until your heart finally stops" she explained to him.

"I...I feel no pain..." the raider said "I don't know what you did, but...thank you"

Saya smiled to Reiju.

"Granting a merciful death to those who deserve it: this too, is the duty of a Goddess of Death" she said. Reiju smiled back, and nodded.

"Eiras village..." the raider whispered with his dying breath "Eiras village is no more..."

Saya and Reiju froze on the spot.

"What do you mean!?" the Princess exclaimed.

"The King of Thorvesk burnt it down" the man said " I heard the village had revolted, or something like that...no one survived"

Reiju grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck, with a ferocious light in her green eyes.

"You _lie!_ " she growled "You must be lying!"

The man smiled bitterly.

"I'm a dead man. Dead men don't get anything out of lying"

Then, he closed his eyes and stood still. His breathing stopped.

* * *

"Reiju, come back!"

Saya sprinted forward to catch up with the Princess, who was now running through the ruins at superhuman speed. It had took them only an hour to reach Eiras village...or rather, what was left of it.

"They can't be all dead!" Reiju yelled back, with a clear note of desperation in her voice "Someone must have escaped! And someone else might still be hiding in these ruins!"

"What if there are still soldiers around, or spies!" Saya reprimanded her "Put at least your veil back on, or they'll recognize you, you fool!"

Finally, the Heir to the throne of Thorversk stopped.

Saya reached her...and her stomach turned.

They were standing on the verge of a giant mass grave. At least two hundred corpses were rotting in it: men and women, elderly and children.

As Reiju fell to her knees, Saya noticed something to her right: a parchment was nailed at the top of a wooden pole.

The parchment had a proclamation written on it.

BY ROYAL DECREE

 _The population of Eiras village has been sentenced to death for their crimes against the Crown_.

 _Wanderer, watch and learn: this is the punishment the King of Thorversk brings down upon the traitors._

Reiju couldn't stop looking at the corpses. Tears watered her eyes, and started rolling down her cheeks.

"He killed them all" she muttered "Even the children. He must have gathered them and slain them systematically. He only set fire to the houses afterwards, to make this place look more...dramatic. I knew some of these people..."

She clenched her jaw.

"How _could_ he?How could he do something like that, while bearing my father's crown? I won't forgive him! I will _never_ forgive him!"

Saya knelt besides her, and put an arm around her waist.

"Do not despair" she said, looking at the corpses with dead serious eyes "I shall not forget these people. As you suggested, I won't let their deaths be in vain. I shall carry their sadness too...as I make my way to Shun"

* * *

The maid was only 15 years old.

When Shun and his bandits had taken over the Royal Palace, she had feared for her life...and not only for that: she had heard stories of what bandits did to women, out in the wilderness. But, to her surprise, no maid in the castle had been touched. Shun had forbidden his men from hurting the servants in any way.

She walked into the bedroom, with a trail in her hands. A blonde woman was sitting on the bed.

"Ayako-san" the maid greeted her "I brought you some food"

As she put the trail on the night table, she glanced at the woman with the corner of her eye.

She knew nothing of the King's new guests, except that they killed some guards at the city gates. The girl was glad she didn't have to deal with the man, the guy with a deformed head...but this woman was somewhat unnerving as well.

She was attractive, but something about the way she smiled gave her the creeps. The scar on her face made Ayako even more frightful: the maid didn't dare to ask how she got that.

 _I'll just leave the food and get out of here_ , she thought.

Suddenly, the woman got up from the bed.

"Miss Ayako…?"

The woman walked up to her. The maid backed up without even noticing, until she found herself with her back to the wall.

Ayako's lips were slightly curved into a smile. She had a predatory look in her eyes.

"I'm not hungry for food right now" she said "I'm hungry for...something else".

Before the maid could even understand what was about to happen, Ayako kissed her. The woman forced her tongue into the girl's mouth, moving it with expertise. Her right hand grabbed one of the maid's breasts.

The girl was repulsed by the touch. She was not into women: she felt like throwing up.

"Ayako-san, please…!" she begged, as the woman pulled the tongue out of her mouth.

"Shut up" Ayako said. Suddenly, she unsheathed a knife and put it against the girl's throat.

"I like to make a girl cum before killing her" she whispered in her ear "I like to hear moans of pleasure, before I hear death rattles..."

Having said that, she started to lift up the maid's skirt. The girl was now on the verge of tears, unable to move or speak…

Then, someone grabbed Ayako's wrist, and pulled the knife away from the girl's throat.

"What…?" Ayako exclaimed, taken by surprise.

Goro was standing over her, furious.

"Enough of this" he hissed.

He pushed Ayako away from the maid, with enough strength to send her flying. The woman landed on the bed, with a muffled groan of pain.

Then, Goro turned to the young girl.

"T-thanks" the girl stuttered, even though she was terryfied by the man.

"Shut up!" Goro screamed, grabbing the maid's shoulders; he had a crazed look in his eyes.

"Now listen to me! You won't tell anyone what happened here! Not a word! Do you understand!?"

The maid was too terryfied to answer.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?"

She frantically nodded.

"Good. Not a damn word. Because if _anything_ happens to Ayako, I'll find you and I'll crack your skull open with my bare hands! Have I made myself clear!?"

The maid nodded again.

"Good. Now go!"

The girl didn't need Goro to repeat himself. As soon as he let go of her, she ran out of the bedroom, bursting into tears.

Ayako was looking at Goro with anger. The man got closer to her.

"What was that for!?" she yelled at him "I was just having fu-"

Goro slapped her across the face with the back of his hand, so violently that she tasted blood in her mouth.

"You...you HIT me!" Ayako screamed, her eyes widened in incredulity and disconcert " You CAN'T hit me!"

"SHUT YOUR TRAP!"

Goro grabbed her by her shoulders.

" _Don't you understand!?"_ he yelled, with a note of fear in his voice "You can't do things like that! I told you! That bastard, Shun, will kill you! And it won't be a quick death either!"

"I wasn't actually going to slit her throat" Ayako said, but she lowered her gaze "I just wanted to have some fun with her. You are always training, I got bored..."

"You still can't do that! You can't just assault maids like they're your own property! Shun told us to behave, and we _will_ behave!"

"What, are you his dog now?"

Goro clenched his jaw in anger, but his eyes showed nothing but fear.

"Why won't you understand!?" he cried out "You will _die!_ And I won't let you die! I...I can't let you die!"

For a few seconds, they stood silent, staring at each other. Goro's lips were trembling.

"You are a vicious woman" he finally said "Why did I have to fall in love with such a vicious, crazy bitch!?"

Ayako smiled gently, taking his face in her hands.

"You know why" she said "Because you are just like me"

Having said that, she kissed him.

Goro thought about pushing her away for a moment; then, he kissed her back, giving into her embrace.

* * *

 _Enoch village_

The sun had set already. Saya and Reiju were walking down the moonlit alley. They had no problem getting through Enoch's village gates, only guarded by a couple of lazy and sleepy men.

 _Of course, getting through Thorvesk's gates is going to be a different matter entirely,_ Saya thought to herself.

"Are you absolutely certain about this?" she asked Reiju, who kept leading the way with no hesitation.

"I am. That man was a good friend of my father. I can trust him with my life"

They reached an old, modest house. If not for a single guard standing in front of the door, holding a spear in his hand, that place looked exactly like any other hourse in town.

"Who the hell are you?" the soldier asked, giving them a suspicious gaze. His eyes expecially lingered on Reiju's veil.

"We are here to see the village chief" Saya said.

"That doesn't anwer my question" the man replied "And why would I let two strangers into the old man's house? What if you are assassins sent by the King of Thorvesk? He helped us with bandits, but after what happened to Eiras village I wouldn't be suprised if he plotted something against us"

"We come in peace. Please, let us in" Reiju asked, politely bowing her head.

"If you want to show some manners, show your face first" the guard replied, reaching out to her veil. But his hand stopped halfway. All of his body had frozen: Saya had stuck a finger into his right temple.

"W-what... _what did you do to me?!_ "

"I struck a pressure point with a non-lethal amount of ki. When I pull my finger out, you will be able to move again, but you'll remain confused for a few minutes. You won't be able to understand anything, and you won't even remember we were here".

"B-bullshit!"

Saya pulled her finger out. The man frightened expression turned into a vacuous one. A dumb smile appeared on his face, as he started drooling.

"Who...are you? What... was I doing? I...feel...funny" he giggled.

"Don't you worry about a thing sweetheart" Saya told him, in a caressing tone of voice "We'll be on our way real quick. Just keep performing your important duty of guarding this place"

"Yes" the man giggled, as the girls walked past him "I have...important...duty..."

They walked into the house.

In the large room at the first floor, an old man was sitting at the table, having supper all by himself. As soon as he saw them he got up, alarmed.

"Who are you? Where is my bodyguard?"

Reiju moved a step forward.

"Don't be scared, Akizaku-dono" she said, removing her veil "It's me"

The old man stared at her face for a moment, with his jaw dropped. Then, he fell to his knees.

"Princess Reiju" he moaned, with tears in his eyes "You are alive! You have returned to us!"

* * *

 _Gehiko village_

Roxanne switched the handheld transceiver off.

She, Theresa and Olga were standing on the terrace at the top of Goro's hideout. They went up there so they could get a better signal, and talk to Saya. In front of them, a dozen meters below, the village was sleeping under a moonlit sky.

"So, the chief of Enoch village gave them shelter" Roxanne sighed "I just hope they did the right thing to trust him"

"I still can't believe what happened to Eiras village" Theresa said, crossing her arms.

"I was in Eiras when I was attacked by Shun's men" Olga said, her brow furrowed in the effort of remembering "The villagers looked like peaceful and mild people. Did they actually revolt?"

"Who knows" Roxanne cut it short "It could be a lie spread by Shun. I can hardly tell what he may be thinking at this point"

Theresa looked down in the street, leaning against the stone railing, a fresh night breeze tousling her hair.

"Mai sure is taking long" she said.

"She'll be back any minute now" Roxanne replied "after all, she had to bring that _rat's_ body to the outskirts of town, where foxes and crows will take care of it"

"So, you finally decided to _clean_ that room" Theresa commented, with a sneer of disgust.

"Well, yes. It was pretty hard to clean – especially the _ceiling,_ but the fun was worth it"

"The two of you fucked him up pretty badly"

Roxanne burst into laughs.

"It was freacking _awesome_ , that's what it was! That was the most fun I had in weeks! And I had _a lot of fun,_ these past weeks!"

"By the Gods, you are talking like it was the best fuck of your life" Theresa said, rolling her eyes.

"It was. His fear was most arousing. The way he cried out to me in a high-pitched voice: _Roxanne-sama_..."

She stuck her tongue out and puffed her cheeks, doing an impression.

" _Pleashe no!_ __I'll do unyfing, pleashe fergiv me!"__ she slurred her words. Then, she burst into a sadistic laugh once more.

Olga also chuckled.

"Oh my, Roxie-chan is always so energic. I wish I could be so high-spirited"

"Don't act so innocent now, you were pretty _high-spirited_ at the party" Roxanne reminded her "I know what you did to those poor young men. I found you sleeping in the room, completely naked...and let's just say this: blood wasn't the only bodily fluid on the floor. You went _wild_ , girl"

"Did I?" Olga asked, putting on a nervous smile to hide her embarassment "I really can't remember..."

"You liar"

This time, it was Theresa's turn to chuckle. Watching her sisters, she couldn't help but smile.

 _"_ _ _Well, it looks like you girls are having fun"__

The three Hokuto women froze upon hearing that voice. Then, they quickly turned around, to face the man who had spoken.

The King of Thorvesk himself was standing on the terrace, just a few feet from them. He had caught them completely off guard: it took them a couple of seconds to recover from shock. Instinctively, they all took a fighting stance.

"S-shun" Roxanne stuttered "How…?"

"I just hid my presence. Frankly, I'm disappointed: I had hoped for your senses to be shaper than this"

He moved a step forward. He was as beautiful as ever; on his naked torso, his steel-hard muscles almost seemed to glow in the moonlight. And yet, his figure was imposing: they could clearly feel his power, an invisible mass of energy that somehow made the air denser, heavier. Accustomed to walk the Earth as Goddesses of Death, they now felt weak and small in comparison.

"What are you doing here!?" Theresa growled.

"Goro told me you were headed to this village. You are looking for me, aren't you? So, I thought I'd come look for you first"

He looked at each one of them in the eyes.

"So, is this what you're doing these days? Butchering men and making them cum?" he asked, with a stern look on his face "It looks like our Sinful Fist has finally corrupted you. I feared as much"

Roxanne was now trembling: not out fear, though. Out of anger.

"Our Fist has _corrupted us?!_ " she uttered "Who are you to talk!? We know you are playing King, and slaughtering innocent people!"

Careful now, Roxanne, Theresa thought, even though she could barely contain her anger. He doesn't need to know about Reiju.

"I'm simply doing what I must" Shun calmly replied "But I get the feeling that you will get in the way of my duty. So, I have no choice but to dispose of you. I don't see Saya here, though. She's the only one that stands a chance against me"

"Your duty?!" Roxanne cried out "You dare speak of duty?! You, who abandoned the way of our Fist, and murdered our Mistress!"

Shun put on a smug smile.

"Did I murder her, though? I really can't remember doing so"

"YOU BASTARD!"

Roxanne charged at him. Moving as one, her sisters charged as well.

Olga was the fastest.

She tried striking Shun with her palms, in a quick series of attacks, with the graceful and elegant movements of Hokuto Ujou Ken; but Shun just diverted each blow with the same elegant moves, as he was simply sparring with her. Then, Theresa rushed between them, throwing dozens of punches at superhuman speed. Each one of those was more than capable of smashing through rock: and yet, Shun blocked them all, shielding his pressure points with hands and forearms.

In that moment, something flickered in the moonlight, flying across the air. Shun raised his left hand at superhuman speed, bringing it in front of his face: between each finger, he had caught a metal needle. Roxanne leapt, following her needle attack with a flying kick, but Shun dodged by simply arching his back.

"Same old tricks, Roxanne?" he mocked her.

The three of them charged once more, throwing everything they got at him.

"Ah yes, I remember" Shun commented with a nostalgic look on his face, as he slowly backed up, dodging and diverting each blow "Olga's skills. Theresa's strength. Roxanne's bloodlust"

Then, a ferocius light appeared in his eyes.

"But my skills are sharper than Olga's!"

After divering a blow, he quickly grabbed Olga's wrist and hit her righ side with his palm, pushing her to the ground, a few feet from him.

"My strength is greater than Theresa's!"

Theresa was performing a Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken, but Shun, while defending himself, managed to retaliate with a single punch. Theresa blocked it, crossing both forearms in front of her face, but the power behind the blow pushed her back several feet. She slid back to the stone parapet, crashing into it with enough strength to smash it: she wobbled on the verge of the abyss, managing to keep her balance by the skin of her teeth.

"And my bloodlust is deeper than Roxanne's!"

The red-haired warrior leapt, trying to reach his neck with another mid-air attack; but Shun caught her leg and violently slammed her body into the ground. Roxanne let out a moan of pain, as many cracks opened up in the concrete beneath her.

Then, a shadow appeared behind Shun. For once, even he looked suprised. He avoided the kick Mai was bringing from above, then reacted by reflex. The two froze like statues, standing in front of each other.

Shun had his right index placed in the middle of Mai's forehead, but she had her finger stuck in the middle of Shun's left side.

"Sneaky as always, Mai" Shun commented, almost pleased "You were always the best at hiding your presence"

"I'll take the compliment, if it's coming from you" she replied, giving him a big, yet cold smile.

"I have my finger on your Gakuchu pressure point. If I put just a little ki into it, you will die. But if I do that...my right arm will explode"

"Correct!" she cheerfully said "As always, you're the best, both in practice _and_ theory. For once, I had hoped to catch you unprepared, tricking you into losing an arm"

Shun chuckled.

"I have always found your approach to Hokuto Shinken most fascinating, Mai. Instead of focusing on skill or power, you focus on knowledge. The pressure point you just attacked is usually only used to perform healing techniques. That's why most Hokuto fighters won't even _think_ about defending that particular spot. Nevertheless, by injecting a very precise dose of ki in a very precise time frame, you can stimulate the pressure point to achieve unusual, harmful results. Something even an experienced Hokuto student might not know: and what you don't know, _kills_ you. Constantly studing the most unusual and unexpected way to bring death to your opponents: a true Assassin's Fist. Any men would be really unlucky to fight you, Mai"

He pulled his right arm back, and Mai did the same. She tried a circular kick, but Shun blocked it with both hands and kicked her other leg, making her loose her footing.  
Mai stretched her tongue, aiming for his neck, but Shun just grabbed it and pulled, lifting her off the ground. He then kicked her in mid-air.

Mai was able to shield herself, but the sheer power of the impact sent her flying. Thankfully, Theresa caught her just in time, preventing her from falling off the building.

"Shun, you bastard..."

Roxanne was getting up. In couple of seconds, all four Hokuto women had taken a fighting stance once more, ready to resume the fight.

"Enough of this" Shun said.

Instead of taking a fighting stance as well, he put his arms down by his side and relaxed his muscles.

"Saya is the one I want. I know the Mistress taught her the _Will of the Goddess: s_ he must have mastered it by now. She doesn't seem to be here, but I'm sure you have some mean to contact her. Tell her to come meet me at the southern gates of Rumia village in 24 hours. She must come _alone._ If she's not there, I will slay all of the villagers. If she comes, but I spot anyone else from the distance, I'll slay the villagers anyway before she can even reach them. This is a direct challenge: let's see if her _Will of the Goddess_ really puts her at the top of the Sinful Fist"

The girls stood silent for a moment, caught off guard by his words.

"And _why_ , in the Gods' names, should we let Saya face you alone?" Roxanne growled "We can defeat you right here, right now. It's four against one: it's over, Shun. You can't win, and you can't escape. You may kill some of us, but we decided long ago that we would even throw our lives away, to stop a wicked Hokuto practioner from rising to power. We are about to tear you apart"

" _Oh, is that so?"_

Suddenly, a vibration shook the building. A whirlwind arose around Shun, as the air around his body was lit by a blue, blinding light.

" _No way!"_ Theresa screamed above the wind.

Shun ki was so great they could literally _see_ it. The whirlwind grew louder, lifting small pieces of concrete in the air, as a column of blue light rose dozen of meters into the sky.

 _He's a God of Death,_ Theresa thought, unable to stop a shiver from going up her spine. _A true God of Death. We are no match for him._

" _You cannot defeat me!"_ Shun yelled, and even his voice echoed like thunder, like the voice of a God _"I stand at the pinnacle of Hokuto Shinken!"_

Then, his hands started to move, drawing circles in the wind.

"What is that!?" Roxanne asked, unable to hide the panic in her voice

"Is that…all of you, _get down!_ " Olga yelled; but it was too late.

"HOKUTO SHINKEN OUGI: TENSHO HONRETSU!"

The blue light gathered in front of Shun; for a split second, it glowed even brighter. Then, it exploded.

The shockwave hit the four women with all the violence of a speeding train.

Every window still intact in the district had its glasses shattered. The sound traveled for miles across the air, reaching even a group of raiders camped on some hills far away, who turned their heads to Gehiko in disconcert.

Then, the light that had lit the night sky, outshining even the moon itself, finally went out. Slowly but surely, the wind stopped. In a few seconds, silence fell upon the village.

Shun looked in front of himself, and furrowed his brow: out of four women, only three had been blasted off the building. One of them, Olga, was still standing. She had her hands clasped together and her eyes closed, like in the act of profound meditation; a moment later, though, she fell on one knee, exhausted.

"I'm impressed, Olga" Shun complimented her, with a genuine smile "Manipulating your ki emission with a breathing technique, in order you shield yourself by my own ki blast...you have always been the most skilled among them, when it comes to using your spiritual power in battle"

Olga didn't even bother to reply; she just crawled to the edge of terrace, the parapet now completely blasted away, and looked down.

In the street below, Roxanne, Theresa and Mai were laying on the asphalt; they were still moving, and although they appeared to be in some intense pain, they were slowly trying to get up.

"Thank the Gods, they are ok" Olga whispered, almost crying from relief.

"Well, time to go" Shun said "Remember to deliver my message to Saya"

He turned his back on her, ready to jump down the building from the other side.

"WAIT, SHUN!"

Olga's cry echoed in the empty streets. The man stopped.

"Why are you doing this!?" she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks "Just why!? Why go down a path of evil? Why seek power, hurting lots of innocent people? I know you still care about me, about us! When you touched me a few moments ago, you could have gone for a vital pressure point: but you didn't! That means we're still a family...aren't we!?"

Olga heard Shun sigh. She watched him slowly turn his head to look at her. He had a sad smile on his face.

"Forgive me, little sister. Even if you hate me for the rest of your lives...I will carry all of you in my heart"

Having said that, he leapt down from the building, disappearing into the darkness.


	20. Chapter 20: You must live

It was dawn.

Light came in the from the opened window. Sitting at opposite ends of the table, Reiju and the chief of the village stared at each other. The Princess had watery eyes.

"So, it's true" she whispered "General Yoshimasa, who I loved more than anyone beside my father, has truly joined Shun"

The old man nodded.

"Indeed. He's acting like his right-hand man right now. What could have led to this, I cannot tell: Yoshimasa had always given me the impression of being a honorable man"

"He was" Reiju replied "He would have given up his life rather than submit to an usurper. But now...to think he personally led the raid on Eiras village..."

Reiju felt a lump in her throat. The old man gave her a compassionate smile.

"Do not despair, Your Highness!" he said "Yoshimasa may have abandoned us...but you have returned! As long as you live, there's still hope! The village can't take anymore of the usurper's abuse! They are taking most of our food by force. Their so-called "monthly fee" is leading us to starvation! Sure, they promised to protect us from bandits, and they kept their word...but this is no different from being controlled by a different gang of criminals! They are not protecting us: they are protecting their territory!"

The man's hands were shaking from rage.

"They promised that one day, the abuse will end. That we and Thorvesk will receive the same treatment, and will one day be one nation. But how many more people will have to starve, before that happens?!"

" Don't worry, Akizaku-dono" Reiju said, leaning over the table and reaching out to his hands " The Hokuto women I met are strong, and honorable. They are no different from the End of Century Saviour, Kenshiro-dono. They will surely lend a hand to our people"

Akizaku breathed a sigh of relief.

"To think that your Highness would find such powerful allies...this must truly be the will of the Heavens"

In that moment, Saya walked into the room. She had a transceiver in her hand, and a troubled look on her face.

"What happened?" Reiju asked, getting up from the chair.

Saya took a deep breath.

"I got something to tell you"

* * *

"BY THE GODS! Easy, easy, you dimwits!" Roxanne yelled, as two young villagers moved her from the couch in Goro's hideaout to a much more comfortable bed.

"It still hurts, uh?" Olga commented, with an apprehensive look on her face. She had done the best she could, but Roxanne's right ankle and knee were still swollen. Mai, who lay next to Roxanne, was in an only marginally better condition.

"Come on now, Roxie-chan, don't be rude to them" she reprimanded her sister "After all, they have been lending their help to us since last night"

"I guess you are right" Roxanne sighed "I'm sorry, you guys. You've been very helpful, and you have our thanks"

The villagers smiled.

"Don't even mention it" one of them said "Gehiko was a living hell until you came. Goro's men tortured and killed many of our friends and relatives. Some people here in the village still fear you...because, you know, your Fist is quite frightening. But we'd rather judge you by your actions than by your appearance"

"Well, it's good to get some appreciation once in a while" Roxanne commented "Not that it makes my leg feel any better"

In that moment, Theresa walked in, and silence fell upon the room.

She had a swollen elbow and bruises all over her left arm, but aside from that she seemed ok. She was helding a transceiver in the her right hand.

"So, you finally told her?" Mai asked.

Theresa nodded, with a grave look on her face.

"I had to"

"I still think we shouldn't have told her anything" Roxanne muttered.

They had spent the whole night discussing the matter. Telling Saya about Shun's ultimatum was basically putting her life at risk. On the other hand, if they didn't tell her, innocent lives would be lost. But were some strangers' lives really worth their sister life?

"It's her right to know" Theresa cut it short "We agreed upon this. It's her choice to confront Shun or not. If we hadn't even _given_ her this choice, she would have never forgiven us"

"So, what do you think she's gonna do?" Mai inquired.

Theresa sighed.

"She said she is going to think about it. She's still got a few hours to decide. But knowing her...I think she will end up confronting Shun"

"Let's set out immediately then" Roxanne suggested "Let go to Rumia village, and fight Shun together"

"Saya must go alone, remember?" Theresa reminded her.

"Well, we can approach Rumia village while mantaining a safe distance, and reach it a moment after Saya's fight has started" Mai said "At that point, we can sneak inside and kill the soldiers that keep the villagers hostage. After that, we will be free to join Saya in her fight"

"But it will still take a couple of days for you girls to heal" Olga pointed out "I'm sorry, I did all I could, but you have some micro-fractures in your bones. Normally you would require weeks to fully recover"

"Don't be sorry" Roxanne said "You did one hell of a job, Olga. But you are right: we are still in no condition to fight Shun. Damn...to think that he managed to get _this_ strong..."

"He could have finished us off, you know" Mai said "I wonder why he didn't"

"That _Tensho Honretsu_ must have cost him everything he got" Theresa speculated "We weren't totally defeated, and Olga was still unscathed. He must have preferred to retreat, and fight us one by one in the future"

Olga bit her lower lip, furrowing her brow.

"I don't think that's the reason" she said "I felt like...he didn't really want to kill us, you know?"

Silence fell upon the room once more.

"Well, it's no good to torment ourselves over things we don't know" Mai cut it short "In a few hours, we will set out for Rumia, even if our wounds still hurt"

"Well said!" Roxanne approved "We are martial artists: we'll endure the pain"

* * *

Reiju entered Saya's bedroom.

She was sitting on the bed in a crossed-leg position, with her eyes closed, in profound meditation. Reiju could feel her invisible ki swaying and flowing all around her body.

"So, you have finally decided"

Saya opened her eyes. A deep resolution was lingering in them.

"Yes. I must go, and confront Shun. It's time for this to end"

"I can't let you go alone"

"But you must. If I don't go alone, Rumia will suffer the same fate as Eiras village"

Reiju clenched her fists.

"That despicable, despicable man...I won't ever forgive him. But why does he seek you? Why you?"

"Because, I'm the only one that poses a real threat to him"

"Why?"

Saya sighed.

"I was never the best at anything. While learning the Sinful Fist of the North Star, I tried to reach a balance between strength, technique and ki control. That means I'm not as strong as Theresa; I can't control my ki as good as Olga; I'm not as knowledgeable as Mai; I even lack Roxanne's agility and fierce willpower. And yet, I was the one my Mistress taught the _Will of the Goddess_ "

"What is that?"

"The Will of the Goddess, _Megami no Ishi,_ is the Sinful Fist's most secret technique. Did you know that the male and female bodies have slight differences in terms of ki flow? This technique is entirely based on that. Basically, since our Fist is passed down to female heirs only, and since a male user is more likely to give in to lust and be corrupted by the dark side of our Fist, the Will of Goddess provides complete dominance of the female over the male. This being the case, a male user gone rogue can be easily disposed of"

" _Complete dominance?_ How!?"

"With just the fighting spirit, it can disrupt the ki flow in the male body. I don't even need to touch Shun: from a small distance, I can take away his ability to use Hokuto Shinken, his ability to move...even his ability to _think_. If performed correctly, I can even gain control over his mind. He will be helpless before me. Only a female user can learn this technique, and there's no way to counter it: even Mai, who studied every single scroll preserved at the Temple, doesn't know a way to do so. The Mistress always talked about the _Megami no Ishi_ as it was some kind of _rape_ , a violation of the human mind and soul"

Saya smiled bitterly.

"She said she had chosen me to inherit this technique because I knew _love_. Since I had been in a relationship with Shun, she believed that I understood a man's heart better than my sisters, so I would never use such dreadful power lightly. Back then, I would have never guessed I was going to use it against Shun"

Reiju was looking at her with a troubled expression.

"That seems like an unreasonably powerful technique. It's hard to believe it can actually work. If such a powerful weapon existed, why didn't the Mistresses of the past use it against the true Heir of Hokuto Shinken?"

"They would have never done that. We have a life debt with the ancient Heir of Hokuto Shinken that spared the lives of the Tentei's concubines, and allowed our Fist to be passed on. We are taught to fear and respect the Heir, and to willingly offer him our lives, in case he wanted to seal our Fist. But, even in the worst case scenario...we wouldn't be a threat to him. The _Will of the Goddess_ doesn't work on direct descendants of the Hokuto Soke family. Members of the main Hokuto bloodline possess an unique Toshin aura, that comes from their unique ki flow"

"Is that so...wait!" Reiju said "Shun knows about the Will of the Goddess, doesn't he? And yet, he challenged you anyway! Could this mean that he's immune to it? He's an orphan, after all! What if he actually belongs to main Hokuto bloodline?!"

Saya smiled, and shook her head.

"Don't you worry: he doesn't. I assured myself of that"

"How?"

"When I learned Shun had killed our Mistress, I also feared that possibility" Saya explained "As the only one to inherit the _Will_ , it was my responsability to stop Shun...but the Mistress was also able to use the _Will_ , and yet, she had been defeated. What if Shun actually belonged to the Hokuto Soke family? So, I did some research. Looking into the Temple's old documents, I found out about his biological parents, who died in a car accident when he was a newborn. They were from a small japanese village. During my travels, in these past months, I reached that village. The district archives were still intact: I was able to determine that Shun's family had been living in that area for dozens of generations. Even if he's somewhat related to the Hokuto main bloodline, that relation is now centuries old. He must be a _direct_ descendant to be immune to the _Will_. He's not"

Reiju was still dubious.

"Then, why did your Mistress…?"

"Why did she fail? I guess, she wasn't allowed to use it" Saya said, furrowing her brow "Sadly, even if he's not related to the Hokuto family, Shun still is an exceptional foe. He was always the best among us, and considering how easily he handled all four of my sisters, he must have gotten even stronger. At this point, he could probably reduce me to mincemeat with a single move. This being the case, whoever attacks first will be the winner: I must bet my life on my first move"

"What if you succeed?" Reiju asked "Are you really going to kill him?"

Saya stood silent for a moment.

"I don't want to think about that" she finally said "For now, I'll focus on the fight. When I'll have Shun helpless at my feet, I will know the right thing to do"

Reiju also stood silent. Then, she bowed her head to Saya.

"I pray for your success then. May the Heavens assist you in this final trial"

* * *

It was late afternoon.

Saya had been traveling for hours on her motorbike; she was now getting closer and closer to Rumia's walls.

 _This is it. The moment of truth._

She stopped the vehicle and got off. She took a deep breath, trying to slow down her heartbeat.

Slowly, but with a determined stride, she walked to the southern gates.

 _Calm down,_ she told herself, _you can do this._

This would be the first time she saw Shun in months. How could she confront him? What kind of man would she see, looking deep into his eyes?

 _Not the time for that, dammit. This is the time to fight._

"I've come!" she yelled, standing in front of the gates "Get out and face me, Shun!"

For a few, endless seconds, nothing happened.

Then, the gates started to open.

 _What…?_

A large host of armed men was marching out of the village: at least two hundreds of them. They slowly encircled her.

 _Is this Thorvesk's army?!_

They didn't look like city soldiers, though: they looked like raiders. They even had different gang tattoos on their arms and foreheads. They were just a mass of disorganized fighters, holding swords, maces and axes in their hands. They wore arrogant grins on their faces, and all of their karma was extremely rotten.

"What is this?" Saya asked, perplexed "I don't have time to waste on fodder. Where is Shun?"

The raiders simply giggled at the question, staring at her with lust in their eyes.

* * *

"So, are we ready to go?!"

Roxanne impatiently stared at Mai, who was staring at a map placed on the table. Villagers had helped them pack food and water on a small van.

"Something has been bothering me" Mai said.

"What is it?"

"Look at this"

She put her finger on the map.

"This is Gehiko village, where we are. This is Enoch village, where Reiju and Saya are. And this is Rumia village, where Shun is supposedly awaiting Saya"

"And?"

"The villages are at the corners of a triangle. Simply put, Rumia village is equally distant from Gehiko and Enoch"

Roxanne raised an eyebrow.

"And your point is…?"

"My point is, it's hard to believe Shun chose Rumia village randomly. He chose a place that would be easy for Saya to reach. It's like he _knew_ she was spending the night in Enoch...or at the very least, he suspected she was in that area"

"Wait a sec, hold your horses!" Roxanne exclaimed, with a skeptical look on her face "You said Rumia is equally distant from both Gehiko and Enoch. If he knew Saya was in Enoch, he would have chosen a place closer to it"

" _Or,_ he didn't want us to know that. He wanted us to believe that he expected to find Saya in our company, here in Gehiko"

Doubt was making its way through Roxanne's heart. Her eyes widened.

"If he knows about Saya's location..."

"...he knows about Reiju too"

* * *

" _We are in trouble!"_

The bodyguard rushed into the village chief's house, accompanied by two other members of the town's guard. Reiju barely managed to cover her face with the veil, but they weren't even paying attention to her: they were looking at Akizaku, with a crazed look in their eyes.

"What the hell is going on!?" the old man asked, getting up from the chair.

"Thorvesk's army is at our gates!" the bodyguard explained "Two hundreds men, led by General Tatsuya!"

Reiju flinched upon hearing that name. General Tatsuya had been one of her father's officials. He had never left a good impression on Reiju: he buttered up her father most of the time, but was also too cowardly to stir up any trouble.

 _So, he has joined Shun's side too._

"What do they want!?" Akizaku asked, shocked by the news.

"They demand we let them in and surrender our weapons. They claim we are giving shelter to an enemy of the Crown, and demand our full collaboration into delivering said criminal to justice"

Reiju's heart skipped a beat.

 _An enemy of the Crown?! No, it can't be!_

Akizaku had grown paler now.

"Let them him!" he ordered "Give up your weapons, don't antagonize them in any way! Hurry, open the gates! I'll be there in a minute!"

The men didn't need the chief to repeat himself: they ran outside of the house and hurried to the gates.

Akizaku turned his head to Reiju: his forehead was now covered in cold sweat.

"Ah, what a predictment we found ourselves in" he whispered "Our village may very well be doomed. But do not fear, Your Highness. I won't give up on you. I won't give up on the hope of our people! Follow me!"

He grabbed her by her wrist and led her outside. He only stopped in front of a storehouse, a few meters down the road.

"In here, your Highness! This is where we keep our supplies. There's a secret room in the basement, where we hide some food so that it won't be taken away from us. It's the most secure place in the village: even if the storehouse burns and come crushing down upon you, you won't get hurt!"

"Wait, stop!" Reiju exclaimed, with desperation in her voice "I can't hide while you face such dangers because of me! It's me they want!"

Akizaku took her face in his hands.

" _Remember your duty!_ " he exclaimed, in a harsh tone of voice "You are the Princess! You must survive! If you die, even if Shun is killed, all will be lost! Without a rightful Heir, the kingdom will fall into chaos, and many innocent people will die, both in Thorvesk and in the nearby villages! Whatever happens, stay hidden! You must _live!_ "

* * *

"Okay, I'm _really_ losing my patience here" Saya growled, giving her enemies a cold look "I'm going to ask one last time. _Where_ is Shun?"

A big, muscular bandit stepped forward, with a dumb smile on his face.

"Not here, sweetheart. But he tasked us with keeping you company. Aren't you happy?"

"You are not from Thorversk, are you? Why are you following Shun's orders?"

Another bandit stepped forward.

"We are what remains of all the gangs that were defeated by his army" he explained "He usually puts every prisoner to death...nasty fellow. But he told us we would be spared, if we managed to kill you"

His eyes lingered on Saya's breasts.

"He also said you were a real beauty, and that we could have some fun before killing you. Well, he wasn't lying!"

The raiders laughed, and readied their weapons.

"You fools" Saya said "I almost feel sorry for you. Shun sent you to _die_. He knows you stand no chance: that's why he sent _you_ instead of his own men. You are here only to tire me down, or keep me busy..."

 _Busy…for what?_ She thought, suddenly alarmed. _If Shun's not here...then where is he?!_

A bad feeling got the best of her. She turned around: dozens of raiders stood between her and the motorbike. She started to walk towards it at a steady pace.

"Hey, wait a sec, honey!" the big guy giggled, blocking her way "Where do you think you're -…."

" _ATA!"_

Saya's fist sank deep into his belly. Her furious battlecry echoed against Rumia walls.

" _Atatatatatatatatata!"_

She showered the man enormous frame with dozens of punches, smashing through ribs, collarbones and vital organs. The bandit's body flew four meters up in the air and then exploded, producing a rain of blood and guts over his shocked comrades.

" _Fuck!"_ one of them screamed, shaking a slimy bowel section off his left shoulder.

"OUT. OF. MY. WAY" Saya hissed, gazing at them with bloodshot eyes.

"Don't panic, you idiots!" another bandit screamed, even though he was clearly frightened "If we don't kill her, Shun will kill us instead! We can do it, she's just one woman!"

They raised their weapons and charged, letting out a battlecry in order to muster some courage.

"Damn, I've got no time for this! I SAID OUT OF MY WAY, DAMMIT!" Saya yelled, throwing herself at them.

* * *

Thorvesk's infantrymen were marching through Enoch's gates. Wearing a golden armor, General Tatsuya preceded them: he was a tall man, with black hair and a thin moustache. Despite his height, he wasn't particularly muscular: he wasn't a martial artist, and not even that good of a soldier. Even so, he wore a smug smile on his face: the smile of a coward who believed himself witty for always siding with the strong.

He walked up to Akizaku, looking at the man like he was staring at a piece of shit.

"You were wise to open the gates, old man. I see your guards are surrendering their weapons as well. So, there's still hope for Enoch village"

"But, Tatsuya-dono!" Akizaku uttered "This is just a big misunderstanding! If an enemy of the Crown has made his way through our gates, I assure you, we weren't aware of it!"

The village chief gazed at the troops from Thorversk: the usurper, Shun, didn't seem to be among them.

"Aah, big mistake, old man!" Tatsuya grinned "Lying to an emissary of the King is a grave crime! We know for a fact that Princess Reiju is here, and that you are personally hiding her!"

Akizaku was now at a loss of words.

"W-what!? B-but I assure you..."

"Too bad! Men, listen up!" Tatsuya said, addressing his troops " Search up every house, every building in town! If someone tries to stop you, beat them up! But, don't kill anyone yet!"

He added that last bit with a frown on his face: he had clearly been instructed to say so, and he wasn't happy about that. That arrogant man was thirsty for bloodshed.

* * *

For several minutes, Reiju had been hiding in the storehouse basement. A thin beam of light entered by a small opening at ground level. She had been hearing soldiers threatening the villagers and hurting them, as they asked where the Princess was.

 _Forgive me, my people_ , she thought, as tears ran down her face. There was no way she could take on two hundred soldiers and survive: she was not as strong as Saya. She cowered in the dark, and cursed herself for her powerlessness.

 _But how, how did it come to this? How did he know I was here?_

Then, the truth hit her like a truck.

 _The handheld transceivers!_ She thought. _Is it possible that he's been listening to our transmissions this entire time?_

* * *

 _Stupid! Stupid! How could I be this STUPID!?_

Saya cursed herself, as she fought with everything she had.

She had never bathed herself in such bloodshed: limbs, guts, brain matter and severed heads were splattering everywhere, accompanied by a crimson rain.

And yet, the bandits kept coming. They were terrified, and charged at her with a crazed look in their eyes, knowing that retreat meant certain death. In a different context, Saya would have felt pity for them. But right now, Saya only felt the burning shame of having been deceived, and the urge to reach her motorbike.

 _He tricked me! He baited me here, so he could go for Reiju!_

" _Fuck it, I'm getting out of here!"_ a raider screamed, as he saw her charge at him. He let go of his weapon, turned his back on her and tried to run. If he simply moved out of the way, Saya would have ignored him: but he wasn't quick enough. Saya hit him four times in the back, breaking his spine in four different spots. His body flew across the air, exploding a moment before touching the ground.

Then, Saya finally reached her motorbike. There were less than fifty raiders left alive: covered in their companions blood, they tried to muster the courage to stop her...and failed. They stood there and watched as she drove away, trembling in their boots.

 _Gods, let me be in time!_ She thought.

But she knew that was not possible: Enoch village was still a few hours away.

* * *

"Sir, we've been searching the village for two hours" a soldier said "no sign of her"

Instead of being disappointed by the report, General Tatsuya looked enthusiastic instead. He caressed his moustache, giving Akizaku an evil smile.

"Aah, too bad. And you insist on claiming you don't know where she is?"

"My Lord, I swear to you!" the old man cried out "I haven't seen her in months!"

"You suck at lying, you know? That's really a shame. His Majesty had hoped to settle this peacefully, to salvage good relationship with Enoch village. Looks like that's not meant to be...soldiers!" he ordered "Do as you've been instructed to!"

A few minutes later, a dozen children, five to ten years old, were brought in front of Tatsuya; their parents yelled out of rage and powerlessness, but they were kept at bay by soldiers.

"Yes, this place is good enough" the General muttered to himself "this is the central square of the village. She will be able to hear _all_ of it, eheheheh"

"W-what do you intend to do?" Akizaku asked in a whisper.

Loudhailers were being stuck into the ground. At the same time, soldiers started to strip the children naked, forcing them on all four. Their scared cries were amplified by the instruments, echoing against the buildings. Then, soldiers wielding whips approached, with a sadistic light in their eyes. A loudhailer was handed to Tatsuya, and he switched it on.

" _Now listen up, Reiju!",_ he said, his voice echoing throughout the village _"I know you can hear me! What you're about to hear, it's the cry of children getting flogged to death! You are the sole responsible for this! If you want to stop us, turn yourself in without resistance!"_

"Are you insane?! You can't do that!" Akizaku uttered.

"Eh, see if I can't, old fool! Men, make them scream!"

Whips cracked in the air. They hit the children's back, opening up wounds that started to bleed. Horrible screams traveled for hundreds of meters in the air, tremendously amplified.

" _This is madness!"_ the old man cried out "Please, take me in their place! Do what you want with me, but for the love of the Gods, let them go!"

"How curious" Tatsuya chuckled "His Majesty thought you would say that, and he has given me specific instructions. He allows you to take the place of one child: after all, you're the chief here, so you must take responsability!"

"O-only one?!"

"Then" a man from the raging crowd yelled "Let us take their place too! Let our children go!"

Tatsuya laughed.

"You think you are so smart, don't you?" he mocked them "But his Majesty can't afford to be _that_ merciful. This old fart will take the place of one child, and that's it!"

Soldiers violently stripped the man, revealing his frail, scrawny body.

"On all fours now, like the dog you are!" Tatsuya yelled, kicking the man in the back. Then, he personally started to flog him.

" _Yes! Yes! Like this! Yelp like a dog!_ " he screamed, now completely blood drunk.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" a voice yelled.

Everybody turned their heads.

Princess Reiju had appeared right in the midst of them, managing somehow to approach unseen.

She had stopped the hand of a man holding a whip. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her teeth were bared in a feral snarl. In the light of the sunset, she looked fierce and beautiful.

"Flogging children to death" she hissed " _What colour is your blood!?_ "

She quickly moved her hand across the air. The soldier's hand, still holding the whip, fell to the ground, and blood started spurting from the stump.

" _Aah my hand!"_ the man screamed _"It hurts, it hurts so much!"_

"I can make my Fist completely painless" Reiju said, in cold tone of voice "But you guys don't deserve that kind of mercy"

She moved her hands again. Red lines appeared on the man's face, getting deeper and deeper by the second.

" _OH MY GODS!"_ the soldier cried out, before his head got sliced into pieces. That scene made everyone's stomach turn. Then, Reiju threw herself at the remaining torturers.

"R-restrain her!" Tatsuya cried out, moving a few steps backwards.

Infantrymen came rushing in; Reiju dodged their spears and quickly reacted, cutting through wood, metal and human flesh. A soldier managed to graze her leg, another one managed to bash the back of her head with a mace: but this didn't stop her. She was like a hurricane of blood: she kept moving at superhuman speed, killing everything that got too close. Her movements were so elegant that it was like watching an angel dance: the frantic dance of the Angel of Death.

"This is insane! She shouldn't be this strong!" Tatsuya groaned, slowly backing up.

Soldiers kept trying to restrain her, and getting butchered like animals as they failed.

"What are you doing, idiots!? Stop her!"

Reiju couldn't not be stopped: she kept advancing, making her way to Tatsuya. In mere moments, she was upon him.

" _Princess, no!"_ Tatsuya begged, falling to his knees _"_ You _know_ me! You have known me since you were a little kid! Please, Princess, have mercy!"

But there was no mercy in Reiju's eyes, not this time. She raised a hand, ready to deliver a killing blow.

" _Your Majesty, save meeeee"_ Tatsuya cried out, closing his eyes. And something happened.

Someone stopped Reiju's hand, grabbing her wrist: a hooded man, wrapped in a dark cloak.

Reiju turned her head, and a shiver went up her spine as she met his eyes.

"Are you done slaughtering my men?" a cold voice asked.

She tried to chop his hand off, but he simply let go of her. Then, he calmly got rid of the cloak, releaving a golden cape underneath. He removed the hood, and a thin, silver crown shone in the light of the dying day.

"You..." she whispered, at a loss of words.

Shun was standing before her.

"I thought that, if you didn't know I was here, there would be higher chances for you to show yourself" he explained "Not that I thought you a coward, Princess: I was simply being cautious. Trying to flee the city would have been a smart choice on your behalf, and I was not taking any chances"

"Your Majesty" Tatsuya cried, crawling at his feet "You actually saved me..."

"Yes, General, but please, move aside now. I have business with her Highness"

"You!" Reiju growled "You flog children to death, but you step forward to save trash like him?"

"Unlike you, Princess, General Tatsuya _is_ a coward, and a very wicked man" Shun started to explain, with a smug smile "But he fully submitted to me: hence, he doesn't need to die. After all, no matter how much of a sadist he is, he followed my orders to the letter: he did no more, no less than what I told him to do. See? I put a _leash_ on him. He would definitely indulge in wicked pleasures if he could: instead, he _behaves._ And when the situation calls for it, his sadism can be put to good use, serving the greater good"

"The _greater good!?_ "

Reiju couldn't believe what she just heard.

"You call this the _greater_ good?! How dare you say that, while wearing my father's crown! You...you bloodthirsty, genocidal _madman!_ "

The smug smile died on Shun's face. Instead, he got a stern look in his eyes.

"I made a promise to myself" he stated "That I would change this rotten world. Because I can: and since I can, it is my _duty_ to do so...even if it means closing my heart, and casting away my compassion"

"If this is the change you want to bring" Reiju said, taking a fighting stance "I'll stop right here and now!"

Shun shrugged.

"Have it your way. But I won't fight you with my Fist. I'll be using your father's Fist instead"

" _What!?"_

Shun calmly took a stance that belonged to the Nanto Ujou Ken.

"Hokuto Shinken Ougi: Suieishin" he muttered "This technique allows me to replicate attacks from other fighting schools. Even though the fight with your father lasted only a second, I had already seen through the basics of his style"

"You...dare mock the memory of my father like that!?" Reiju uttered, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"On the contrary. I'm honouring his bravery, by giving her daughter a chance to fight back. Of course, I already know I'm going to win anyway"

"YOU BASTARD!"

Reiju threw herself at Shun. Her attacks sliced through the air.

"Oooh, not bad!" he said, dodging every blow "You have surely acquired an intense willpower, and your Fist improved because of that!"

Reiju kept attacking, with the fierceness of a tiger.

 _I must do this!_ She thought. _I must! Otherwise, everyone's suffering will be for naught!_

One of her attacks sliced through a lock of Shun's hair.

"Ah, very well indeed" he commented. Then, he took a step forward. Suddenly, four parallel wounds opened up in Reiju's left side, spurting blood.

"N-no..."

Reiju fell to her knees, bringing her hands to the wounds: she could fight no more. Blood was pouring through her fingers. Shun towered over her.

"Stop!" the old village chief cried out. He was still on the ground, stark naked and with a few bleeding cuts on his back.

Shun turned his gaze to him.

"Ah, Akizaku-dono" he commented , in a polite tone of voice "I salute your bravery. You'll be happy to know that, in order to pay respect to your sense of sacrifice, I have decided to spare this village. Despite your defiance, I won't kill a single villager"

"You only need to kill _me_ , right?" Reiju said, with a bitter smile.

She slowly raised her head to look at Shun. Her eyes were incredibly sad...but also calm and resigned.

"After you kill me, your power will be absolute" she said "Go ahead, then. I'm ready"

 _I failed you, all of you. Forgive me, Saya. Forgive me, father._

For a moment, the entire village went silent.

Everyone in that square, soldiers and villagers alike, could only look at the scene, at the small girl cowering in the King's shadow. Even the children stopped crying, and just watched with horrified eyes, or hid their face against their parents' chest. Only the wind howled louder.

"Kill you?" Shun finally said "I wish I could be _that_ merciful"

Reiju serene expression turned to disconcert.

"What?!"

Shun eyes seemed almost lifeless now: that was the strength of his resolve, capable of blowing away any shred of human compassion he had left.

"No, Princess" he said "I need you alive. You must _live_. Your suffering doesn't end today"

He turned to his soldiers.

"Men! See to her wounds! We are going back to Thorvesk!"

* * *

When Saya reached Enoch village, the sun had already set. The gate was open, and no man was standing guard. The streets were empty, and silent: Thorvesk's army had left.


	21. Chapter 21: I'm no beast

A crowd had gathered in front of Akizaku's house.

Saya made her way to the entrance, guarded by two armed men.

"Wait, you can't go in!" one of them stopped her "Akizaku-dono is having his wounds treated!"

"What happened?" Saya asked, with her heart racing.

"That is none of you business, stranger!"

"I'm no stranger to Akizaku-dono. If you don't believe me, bring me to him: he'll recognize me. But first, please...for the love of the Gods..."

She looked at them with pleading eyes; her request seemed to made its way into their hearts.

"Princess Reiju was in town. But the new King of Thorvesk, the bastard, came here. He flogged children and the village chief to lure the Princess out. She tried to fight him, but in the end, he took her captive"

Saya's heart leapt, as relief spread to all of her body.

 _She's alive! At the very least, she's alive!_

After searching her for hidden weapons, they allowed Saya to pass. What she found inside, was a group of half a dozen people gathered around a bed. The old village chief was lying on one side, with his back exposed: many nasty cuts covered it. A woman was disinfecting them with a rag soaked in alcohol.

Tears watered Saya's eyes as she got closer.

"Akizaku-dono…"

"Ooh, Saya-dono" he greeted her, with a feeble voice "At least you're safe..."

"I'm sorry, Akizaku-dono. I should have never left Reiju alone"

"I won't question the good will of a disciple of Hokuto. If you left her, it was because you thought it was for the best. You are the one who brought her to us in the first place, after all"

As soon as the word _Hokuto_ was spoken, Saya sensed hostility rising all around her. Villagers were looking at her with stark resentment; a couple of them left the room. She decided to ignore them.

"Is it true that they flogged children?" Saya asked, rage now burning her throat like fire.

"It is" he answered her "The usurper knows no mercy, and his dog, General Tatsuya, was just to happy to oblige. He laughed as he wielded his own whip"

Saya bared her teeth in a snarl of disgust, and clenched her fists.

"General Tatsuya, uh?" she muttered "I'll remember that name"

Then, she pressed a point on Akizaku's back. The man quivered from relief.

"The pain!" he uttered "It's going away!"

"You wounds will start to heal soon" she explained "I'm sorry: this is the best I can do. I'm not as skilled as my sister Olga when it comes to healing techniques"

Suddenly, a voice came from outside.

" _Woman of Hokuto! Come out and face us!"_

Saya looked at the village chief: he was just as puzzled as her.

"What could they possibly..." the man muttered to himself.

"Don't you worry, Akizaku-dono. I can handle this"

Saya walked out of the building. Around ten men were standing at the forefront of the crowd, wielding stones and iron crowbars in their hands. They eyes were bloodshot, filled with a fierce hatred.

"What is this about?" Saya asked, with a stern look on her face.

"So, you are the woman who brought the Princess to this town?!" a man uttered, his hands shaking from rage "You brought disaster upon us! Why did our sons and daughters have to suffer like that?"

"And if you are indeed a woman of Hokuto, why just leave the Princess alone?! You brought Thorvesk's army to our town, and left us undefended! Isn't your duty to defend the weak? Aren't you supposed to take responsability?!"

"Or, maybe, she's just a friend of the usurper. They share the same Fist. She can't be trusted!"

"Now, now" Saya slowly said, looking into their eyes "Let's calm down, won't we? I can explain"

But those men weren't willing to listen.

"I d-don't care if you kill me!" one of them yelled "My son was flogged because of you! Take _this!_ "

He threw a rock at her. Saya didn't even raise her ki to protect herself: the stone left a bleeding cut on her forehead.

"She _bleeds!_ " another man uttered "How can this be!? Is she not a Hokuto master after all?"

"She's a _fake!_ " a villager wielding a crowbar exclaimed "Watch this!"

He stepped forward, and swung the iron bar at her face. Saya didn't try to dodge; she didn't even try to harden her skin to shield herself. The bar hit her, breaking her nose on the impact. Saya fell to the ground.

"Look! I told you! I told you she's a fake!"

Now, those ten men were not the only one enraged: the whole crowd was getting hostile.

They jumped her.

They kicked her, stomped on her, spat on her. Saya just cowered on the ground and took it all.

"Die! Die! Die! You fake Hokuto _bitch!_ " another guy yelled, as he brought the crowbar down on her head.

" _Enough of this madness!"_ someone croaked.

Everyone turned their heads. The village chief was at his house frontdoor, standing on trembling legs.

"Akizaku-dono, you mustn't get up!" a man exclaimed, with a troubled expression on his face.

" _Shut up, you fool!"_ the old man yelled, moving a few steps forward and slapping him in the face; swinging the blow made him lose balance: the man who had just been slapped had to catch him as he stumbled forward.

" _What are you doing!? Have you all lost your minds!?"_ the man kept screaming, as his eyes filled with tears "She and her sisters are the only ones willing to oppose Shun! They are our only hope to save the Princess! Is this how you welcome our saviors!?"

Saya was getting up. Most men had dropped their weapons, but one of them was still seething with anger.

"She's no saviour! I'll show it to you!" he declared, swinging the crowbar towards Saya's neck.

The iron bar bent on impact. Saya merely looked at him, a gaze filled with sorrow, and the man moved a step backwards and let go of his weapon. The Hokuto woman then stared at the crowd before her, her face covered in her own blood.

"I take full responsabilty for what happened to you" she said, in a grave tone of voice.

Then, she slowly knelt before them and brought her forehead to the ground.

"I humbly ask of you: please, forgive me! Your children suffered because of me! Please, allow me to use my healing powers to ease their pain! Let me atone for my sins, by helping you at the best of my abilities!"

The crowd stood silent. Men just looked at her with widened eyes: their hostility had vanished.

"Saya-dono" the village chief whispered "why wouldn't you…?"

"Why wouldn't I fight back?"

Saya brought her hands to her broken nose, and put it back into place with a swift movement: a creaking, squishy sound echoed in the alley.

"I'm simply accepting responsability for my foolishness. Besides" she said, with a gentle smile "my Fist can never hurt a father who's suffering for his son"

* * *

In the great hall, the King was sitting on his throne. Beautiful maids were standing along the walls, waiting for orders: but Shun attention was focused only on the man kneeling before him.

"General Yoshimasa. I assume everything went according to plan"

The big, muscular warrior in his forties bowed his head even lower.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Rumia villagers complied with the order of remaining inside their homes. Nobody saw what happened at the southern gates...we have spread the lie that His Majesty himself personally executed those raiders. General Tatsuya has been tasked with cleaning up the bodies"

Shun nodded.

"Very well. I already sacrificed a whole village to prevent them from learning about the Hokuto women: we can't afford to commit another slaughter, or our economy will suffer greatly.

I allowed Enoch village to live after learning about Saya...but they haven't seen her in action. They can't possibly imagine how powerful she really is, and thus, they won't find the courage to revolt. Besides, after the way we handled things, it may be safe to assume that we broke their fighting spirit"

"Most likely so, Your Majesty. Speaking of which, only forty-seven raiders out of two hundreds survived. Shall I have them executed?"

Shun remained silent for a moment. Then:

"No. We have a shortage of men working the fields right now. So, I hereby condemn them to a lifetime of forced labour"

Yoshimasa hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"As you wish, Your Majesty"

His hesitance didn't go unnoticed.

"Are you suprised by my mercy, General Yoshimasa?" Shun asked, with a forgiving smile "For a new world to be made, _terror_ is mandatory. But, with me getting credit for the mass execution at Rumia's southern gates, we already stroke terror in the heart of any bandit who still roams these lands. You should know by now, that I only kill when I'm 100% sure that is the best course of action. A living person is more valuable than a dead one: because as long as people live, no matter how rotten they are, they might still be able to do something good"

Yoshimasa nodded again, with no hesitation this time.

"As always, His Majesty's wisdom knows no limits"

"Allow me to change the subject, General...have you visited the Princess yet?"

A shadow of sadness clouded Yoshimasa's eyes, as he lowered his gaze.

"No, Your Majesty. I didn't have the heart to face her, and tell her what's in store for her"

"I never expected of you to tell her: that is _my_ responsability, after all. I just thought that you might want to check on her recovery: I know you two are very close. You were her father's closest friend"

The General didn't answer. Shun gazed at him with intensity, almost staring into his very soul.

"Your heart has been weeping, am I right, General?" he muttered "Still, I trust you will do the right thing, and go along with my plans. That's why I granted you, and only you, access to Reiju's cell.

That's how much faith I have in you: you can see where the greater good lies"

"Yes" Yoshimasa replied, his voice shaking from emotion " I have cast away my honour and decided to serve you, the man who stained his hands with my friend's blood, because I truly believe you are the Saviour. I will keep doing your will, not only for the good of this Kingdom, but for the future of the entire World"

If those words pleased Shun, he didn't let it transpire on his face. Instead, the King of Thorversk nodded with gravity.

"Very well, General. You may go"

Then, he clapped his hands, and each maid stepped forward, ready to comply with his orders.

"Leave me alone for now: I just got back from some intense travels and fights. Let me rest for a bit"

* * *

Ayako walked into the great hall by a lateral door, one of those normally used by servants.

The King was sitting on the throne, offering her his right side: he had his head leaned to the left, against his closed hand, his elbow supported by the armrest. He appeared to be sleeping.

 _Good,_ she smirked. _I'll give him one hell of a wake up._

She approached slowly, with very light footsteps: she was barefoot, after all. Her naked body was covered only by a sexy nightgown.

 _Even from up close, he's just as handsome,_ she thought, licking her lips. _But, he's a bit foolish. Sleeping alone, without even a soldier guarding the throne room? No matter...I'll teach him how to survive in this world...I'll teach him many, many things…_

She was now towering over him.

"Ayako-san" Shun politely greeted her, with his eyes still closed "What may you be doing? I didn't call for you"

"Oh" Ayako said, taken aback "How did you know it was me?"

"I can sense your pitch-black karma from a hundred feet away. And my senses are always alert, even as I sleep"

"I see. You truly are a formidable man" she commented, as she leaned towards him "Won't you open your eyes though, and look at me?"

She opened up her nightgown and let it slide off her shoulders. Shun turned his head: he stared at her beautiful, shapely body with pure indifference.

"So, am I better than your concubines?" she whispered, in a sexy voice.

"I don't have any concubines: only servants. I do not touch them"

" _Whaat?_ " Ayako said, in a playful, mischievous tone of voice "Are you telling me the mighty King of Thorversk does not indulges in carnal pleasures? Or, could it be that you prefer the company of men?"

Shun smiled, gazing at her with dead eyes. Something in that gaze sent a shiver up Ayako's spine.

"I haven't had sex with anyone, man or woman, in the last fifteen years"

 _Fifteen years?_ Ayako thought, furrowing her brow. _The hell is he talking about? He looks like he's still in his mid-twenties…_

"Anyway" he cut it short "I thought you were Goro's woman"

"Am I?" the woman said, in a coquettish tone of voice, as she leaned even closer to Shun "I never said I was going to be his woman for the rest of my life. He spends all of his time training now, and leave me all alone... _boooring_. Besides, His Majesty is way more handsome than him...way more powerful..."

"Ah, I see" Shun calmly said, closing his eyes again "I see how it is"

Shun's hand moved quickly, way too quick for Ayako to even see it. Before she could understand anything, his index was already placed the middle of her forehead.

 _W-what…_

Intense waves of pleasure started to erupt from that point, spreading to all of her body. Her nipples got hard at once; her lower parts got instanly wet.

 _By the GODS!_

Ayako was familiar with the kind of pleasures that the Hokuto Sinful Fist could grant: Goro would often manipulate her tsubos in bed. But this, this was beyond _anything_ she had ever experienced. The pleasure was hitting her in waves so powerful, that her torso muscles started to contract spasmodically, as if she was having seizures.

 _It's like being touched by an angel! This is too much!_

Her body couldn't take that kind of stress: she instinctively tried to back off, to sever the physical contact with Shun's finger. But she coulnd't move: she was completely paralyzed. Unable to bear the pleasure, she climaxed. A few seconds later, she climaxed again.

" _Sho...good..."_ she moaned, drooling like a dog _"too much...can't...take it..."_

"The pleasure is going to keep rising, until, eventually, your vital pressure points will be fatally impaired by my ki" Shun explained, with a stern expression on his face "If I don't pull back my finger, you'll be dead in twenty seconds"

Alarm and fear appeared on Ayako's face, already twisted by pleasure, turning it into a horrible grimace as a result.

" _It...can't...oh Gods...shooo goooood…."_

"If you want to live, beg me to pull back my finger" Shun said "It's time to choose between your pleasure and your life"

Ayako's body was now completely shaken by muscular contractions, as if she was getting electrocuted. Her eyes had rolled back into her skull, and her tongue was hanging out of her mouth. Her naked breasts, covered in sweat, bounced frantically in the air.

 _I don't want to die!_ She desperately thought, tears appearing in her eyes. She was fighting to not completely lose her mind to the pleasure, but it was getting harder and harder. _I don't want to!_

"Say it" Shun pressed her, in a cold, merciless tone of voice "You must say it. If you let your mind go numb, it's all over for you"

 _I must do it!_

" _I...on't...want..."_

"I can't hear you. Speak louder"

Tears were rolling down Ayako's cheeks. Her lips trembled, her mouth opened up spasmodically, as she made the highest effort to survive.

" _I ON'T WANT TO DIE! PLEASHE, SHUN-SAMA!"_

Shun pulled the finger back. Ayako's body stopped writhing: a second later, she collapsed. She fell heavily on her ass, covered in tears, sweat, saliva and her own vaginal fluid.

"Y-your Majesty..." she sobbed uncontrollably, shaking from head to toe.

"Now listen to me" Shun growled, giving her a ferocious stare "Don't you _ever_ try something like that again. From now on, you will live in the west wing of the Palace, and you will _never_ show yourself unless I specifically call for you. Just looking at a piece of shit like you makes me want to throw up"

Then, he picked up her nightgown from the ground, and tossed it at her.

"Here. Cover yourself, and get out"

" _Your Majesty, please!"_ Ayako cried out, utterly terrified " _Please, please don't tell Goro about this, I'm begging you! He will murder me! He will murder me in a horrible, unspeakeable way!"_

A shadow of compassion appeared on Shun's face; sadness flickered in his eyes.

"I'm not going to tell Goro anything" he granted, averting his gaze "Now, get out of my sight"

* * *

 _Enoch's village_

At the first floor of the inn, Theresa, Roxanne, Mai and Olga were sitting in the same room. Roxanne was bending and extending her leg, enjoying her full ricovery... but she was also bored out of her wits.

"It should be about time, right?" she asked "They said they were going to call for her"

"Just be a little more patient" Theresa reprimanded her.

"That's what you said _an hour_ ago"

They hadn't dared to use the handheld transceiver to locate Saya; instead, they had gone straight to Enoch village, hoping to find her. The village chief had informed them about the situation, and told them Saya was lending their help to the wounded children of the village.

A few seconds later, they all turned their heads to the door, perceiving a familiar karma.

Saya walked in, with a tired smile on her face.

Theresa hugged her first. Then, all of the Hokuto sisters shared a warm hug.

"I was so worried about you" Theresa said, while holding her.

"Damn, how did you get those?" Roxanne exclaimed, noticing the bruises and grazes on Saya's face. Seeing her sister hurt, the red-haired Hokuto lady was now burning with fury.

"It doesn't matter, it's nothing" Saya shook her head "I was a fool, you girls. Shun was listening to our tranceivers the whole time. I fell for his bait"

"We _all_ fell for it" Theresa said "We can't use the transceivers anymore"

"So, what's the plan now?" Mai asked.

Saya readily answered.

"I've been thinking about it all day. First, I propose we move to Rumia village, the closest place to Thorvesk, and start gathering intels. We'll use travel clothes to hide our identity: if needed, we can get into the village by climbing the walls at night, eluding surveillance. This is not only about Shun and Goro anymore" she added, with a fiery look in her eyes "This is not only about our revenge. This is a rescue mission. Reiju is our friend, and we are going to save her"

* * *

The Princess of Thorvesk was sitting on the bed, gazing at the iron bars with dead eyes. Just outside of her cell, two guards were sitting on the floor, playing dice.

"How long do you think we are going to stay in this place?" one of them asked "They haven't told us"

The other one, who looked older and bigger, shrugged.

"Hell if I know. Could even be weeks"

"Weeks!? Buried in this place, with no way out? They can't possibly do that! There's got to be a guard change, at some point"

"Who knows. We must do as the King commands, no way around it"

"They think they can leave two guards here, tasked with feeding a girl and cleaning her bodily wastes for _weeks?_ Sure, we have food, water, beds, toilets and a working ventilation system, but a man can't live buried down here"

"Eh" the bigger one grinned, looking at Reiju with lust in his eyes "I wouldn't mind being here if I could get a piece of her. But Shun said he would give us hell if we dared to hurt her in any way"

"You're sick, man. She's a little more than a child"

"Ah, fuck off. And you know what? Stop bitching about being in here. With all that's going on outside...people _exploding_ into pieces and such...this may very well be the safest place on Earth"

Then, a sudden noise startled them. With a hiss, the metal hatch in the ceiling started to automatically open. Then, an athletic man started to slowly climb down the ladder. The guards got on their knees, and bowed their heads.

"Leave me alone with her for a while" the man ordered "I need to speak to her in private"

Eager to get some fresh air, the guards readily obliged.

Reiju eyes suddenly burned with a fierce light, as they met Shun's. She got up from the bed and threw herself at the bars, like a tiger in a cage.

"You!" she hissed " _You took away my Fist!_ "

She expected Shun to put on a smug smile, but he didn't. He was dead serious instead.

"Only as a temporary measure" he pointed out "I impareid the ki flow in your body, but you will recover. I could have made that _permanent_ , if I wanted to. Or, I could have even erased your memory completely"

"Then, why didn't you?"

Shun got closer to the bars.

"Your memory is who you are. Erasing it would be akin to killing you. And as I told you, I need you to live"

"Why!?" she growled, baring her teeth "What do you need me for!?"

Shun sighed, and closed his eyes.

"You know, back when I killed your Father...I told myself I would kill you too, and be done with it. I told myself I could rebuild and hold this Kingdom through sheer terror alone. I thought I could spare you further suffering. But I was being naive: because, deep down, I knew terror was not enough"

He opened his eyes, and Reiju saw the same look that terrified her in Enoch, when he had towered over her defeated body.

"A Kingdom needs stability. And stability comes with terror... _and_ loyalty. More than that, people must live with the certainity of the future: they must be assured that, when I die, this Kingdom will _not_ fall into chaos. And I need the certainity of the future too: because what I dream for, cannot be accomplished during the arc of my lifetime"

Reiju stared at him with a puzzled expression. She wasn't sure she understood...no: she didn't _want_ to understand.

"W-what are you…?"

Shun got even closer to her, his face almost pressing against the bars. His eyes looked more dead than ever, like the pitch-black eyes of a shark.

"I need you to give me a _heir_ , Reiju"

Silence fell in the bunker for a few seconds. Those seconds seemed to last ages to the girl, as she processed what she just heard.

"I need a son that belongs to the original Royal Bloodline" Shun went on "People fear me and obey me…but there are still those calling me _the usurper_. This may lead to revolts in the distant future...expecially when this country will get too big for me to keep things in control with my presence alone. While I'm confident I won't be overthrown by strength, blood will flow, people will die, and the Kingdom will get weakened as a result. I cannot allow that. I need a son that won't be called _usurper._ I need to bless this country with the stability that comes with a legitimate heir"

" A son..." Reiju whispered, in shock.

"Yes. A son that must grow to be as strong as me. I will pass down Hokuto Shinken to him...and you will teach him Nanto Seiken. He will do the same with his heir, and so on. Our bloodline will be one of invincible fighters. Think about it: Kings that can't be asassinated; Kings that can turn the tides of war by simply appearing on the batterfiled. They'll need to be strong, in order to carry out my will"

"But _why?!_ What do you aim for!?" she uttered, her eyes now filling with tears.

Shun's gaze got even colder.

"I dream of conquest. Not the mindless conquest that Ken-Oh carried out: I could care less about frivolous things like _glory._ We'll have years of peace, marked by economical and military growth, followed by quick and effective military campains. This will go on after my death, expanding our territory generation after generation...until one day, all the villages in former Japan will have what Thorvesk has now: security, abundance of food, health care, political stability. And with that, education and human rights will come. In short: _civilization_ "

"You talk like you can see the future" Reiju whispered "You are insane. You can't possibly know what will happen after your death!"

"You are right: I can't. But it's my duty to do all that is in my power, to make sure that my will is carried out. I will teach my son...our son, so that he may rule wisely. Will all of my descendants be wise? Of course not. Some Kings will be foolish, bloodthirsty, harmful to their own Kingdom. But hopefully, this country will recover from them. The very existence of this country is a start, an essential step. It's the hope for a new world"

"That's it?" Reiju asked, tears now coming down her cheeks "In order to build your ideal country, you are just going to _rape_ me?"

Shun smiled bitterly.

"You won't be the only one getting raped" he said.

"What do you mean by that!?"

Shun's eyes narrowed.

"Saya hasn't told her, has she? What our Mistress's _test_ consisted in"

Reiju said nothing.

"I guess not. So, Saya has not revealed to you the true, hideous face of our wicked Fist. No matter...you don't really need to know. It will suffice to say, I haven't been able to make love to a woman since I took that test. The very idea of touching and being touched like that...makes we want to _throw up_. I couldn't even be with the one I truly loved, no matter how much I tried..."

He stared into the void, his gaze clouded by deep sorrow. Then, he bared his teeth, as a ferocious resolve cast the sadness away.

"But I will lay down with _you_. I will force myself upon you, even if that means filling myself up with drugs. Even if I'll feel so _dirty_ afterwards, that I'll wish to take my own life. I will do it: I will violate this body of mine. Because there are thousands...no, millions of people who are in need of my help: confronted with their cries, my body doesn't really matter"

Reiju moved a step back from the bars, terrified: she expected him to open up the cell and throw himself at her. Shun noticed...and the fierce light in his eyes went out, replaced once again by sorrow.

"But I'm no beast" he muttered "I'll give you three days to prepare yourself. Three days to think about this….to make a choice, deep in your heart"

"A choice?!" Reiju uttered, fighting the urge to burst into a nervous, hysterical laugh "Do you really think I could willingly _choose_ to be with you?"

Shun turned his back on her.

"I know it's not going to be easy. Even if you make such a choice...this is going to scar you for life. But I really want you to think about what's best for this country, for your people. If necessary, a ruler must _bleed_ for his people. And I'm bleeding for Thorversk: every life I take, innocent or not, is tearing me apart. Maybe, the time has come for you to be willing to bleed for them too. Stop being a Princess, Reiju: start being a Queen"


	22. Chapter 22: A message he can't ignore

**Author's note: WARNING! This chapter features some disturbing content, even for this fanfiction's standards. Only read if you can stand graphical depictions of anal rape. If this is not the case, feel free to skip right to the last paragraph. You'll know when the scene is coming.**

"Okay, this is far enough"

General Tatsuya stopped the truck and got off. A second truck stopped right behind him. They were in the middle of the wasteland.

"Drop them here!"

The rear of the trucks opened up; mangled bodies started to fall to the ground, dozens of them.

 _This is freaking unreal._

Tatsuya couldn't stop looking at the corpses. When he had first reached Rumia's southern gates, tasked with cleaning up that mess, he had almost thrown up. Some of the raiders were missing their heads; others had their belly and chest opened, like gutted animals. Limbs and spinal cords were twisted and broken, ribs were exposed.

There was one thing Tatsuya was absolutely terrified of: Hokuto Shinken. The very thought of dying like that, having his body torn apart by the sheer blood pressure all the while hearing his own skull and ribs crack and shatter, almost made him faint.

 _A single woman did this to almost two hundred men! And there's five of them!_

That meant, those women could handle an army of a thousand men. Thorvesk's army had less than six hundreds.

 _Well, we have His Majesty on our side...but…_

Shun had always seemed invincible...but was he strong enough to stand up to _five_ monsters like that? As for the other Hokuto Shinken user, Goro, he didn't look like someone who could be trusted.

No matter how hard he tried, Tatsuya couldn't shake off the oppressive feeling of impeding doom.

He had almost been torn to shreds by Princess Reiju: he had almost pissed himself. And, even though he had begged for his life, his pleas had been completely ignored. So, why would five strangers show him mercy? He had the feeling that surrendering was not going to be a safe option.

 _Damn,_ Tatsuya cursed his fate, _why did I have to get caught in a fight between monsters?!_

* * *

 _Rumia village_

The five Hokuto women had gathered in the bedroom they had purchased for the night.

"Okay" Saya said "let's get down to business. You know what Shun's men are capable of. That means Reiju is being held prisoner by some real animals as we speak. Who knows what they could do to her"

Olga nodded, with a saddened expression.

"Those poor children...that Tatsuya guy is a real baddie"

She had decided to lend her help in Enoch village before leaving for Rumia, easing the children's pain way better than Saya did.

"I wonder if Tatsuya is the right guy for me to finally try the _Turducken man_ " Roxanne muttered. Upon hearing her words Mai smiled, Olga furrowed her brows and Theresa rolled her eyes.

" _Turducken?_ " Saya asked "As in...the foreign dish we had once at the Temple?"

"Yes, except this is gonna make you want to throw up" Theresa said, with a genuine sickened look on her face.

"Ok, I don't want to know about the _Turducken man_ " Saya said, as she tried to get back to the main topic, a moment before turning her head to Roxanne "What in the Gods' name _is_ the Turducken man?"

"No, Saya, it's really better for you not to know" Mai said, shaking her head but unable to hide her smile.

"Honestly, sometimes I think we should _seal_ your Fist, Roxanne" Theresa exclaimed "You always come up with the most sick ideas"

"Relax, Relax" Roxanne raised her hands, in a submissive attitude "I haven't used it on anyone yet. This isn't something I can try on just _any_ raider. If they don't fully _deserve_ it, then it's no fun"

"Roxie-chan really enjoys punishing bad guys" Olga commented, with a troubled look on her face.

"You should try it too, sometime" Roxanne replied, giving her younger sister a mischievous smile "Considering how good you are at controlling your ki, I'm sure you could make a great display of Hokuto Mugoi Ken"

"Uh!? But, I don't like it when they scream from pain..."

"Think about it this way: the more you hurt them when you kill them, the less they will suffer in Hell. It's like taking an advance on their payment"

"Uh, really!?"

"Don't listen to her, Olga" Saya cut it short "I doubt it works like that. Never use a technique you don't feel comfortable with. Now, back to business. First, we need to locate a place in town to use as our operation base: an abandoned building, or something like that. No matter how careful we are, this inn is too dangerous. There's got to be at least a few of Shun's spies hanging around here"

"You mean" Theresa said, with a cold smile on her face "like the one who's been eavesdropping just outside the door?"

In that moment, they heard someone on the other side of the door run away, rushing downstairs.

* * *

The man's heart was racing, as he ran outside and went around the building, hiding in a dark alley.

He had been able to spot the five women, thanks to the descriptions he had been given, but he would have never thought they could spot _him_ so easily.

 _If they catch me, I'm dead meat!_

Then, a shadow came from above, landing in front of him: the Asian girl with a ponytail had jumped out of the window. She grabbed him by his clothes and pushed him against the wall. Soon, all five of them were in front of him, staring at him with hostile eyes.

"Please, I'm not a soldier!" the guy cried out "I was told to keep an eye out for you, that's all"

"Where is Princess Reiju being held!? Speak!" the Asian girl hissed, looking at him with bloodshot eyes.

"I-I don't know! I really don't! I'm a nobody, how am I supposed to know?"

"I think he's telling the truth" Theresa sighed.

"Then, who knows where she is?" Saya asked.

"I think the Generals know...and maybe, some higher official too, I suppose..."

"You better tell us a name, and a place where to find them"

The man hesitated: he knew he had to give them some valuable information, if he wanted to make it out of town alive.

"Generals live inside the Royal Palace, they are no easy prey...but the guy I report to, Captain Shiba, lives in a villa in the outskirts of Thorvesk"

Stuttering, the spy gave them detailed directions for reaching the place.

"Shouldn't be hard to climb Thorvesk's walls" Roxanne commented "But it will be easier to go unnoticed, if it's only one or two of us"

"Vey well" Theresa said "Now...what do we do with this guy here?"

Saya looked into the man's pleading eyes: he was too scared to even beg.

"His karma is not _that_ bad" she said "Let's just erase the memory of this past hour. Olga, you're the best at this kind of things: I'm sure you'll do a flawless job"

"Leave it to me" the blondie said, as she stepped forward and brought her hands to both the man's temples.

* * *

Captain Shiba, a big man in his fifties, welcomed his longtime friend, Liutenant Taro, into his home.

"Come in, come in!" he said, with a grin on his face "Everything is ready! Man, you sure took your sweet time! I was almost about to start without you!"

"You seem pretty excited" the Liutenant said "What have you got this time?"

"A real treat!" Shiba's grin widened "You'll see!"

Taro was at least ten years younger than Shiba; and yet, despite the difference in age and military rank, there was no deference in the way Taro spoke to him. The reason for that lied in the special bound that they shared: they were _companions_ , both sharing a passion for the kind of game that could get them both executed.

Shiba led Taro to the basement. That small room had been their playground for a long time: for safety reasons, the walls and the ceiling had been covered with soundproof acustic insulation, a _really_ expensive purchase. In the middle of the room, a naked 12 years old girl was on all four, forced in that position by a short chain that binded her neck to the floor. Her mouth had been duck-taped, but Shiba walked to her and took the tape away: he had a thing for hearing his victims scream.

"Please, let me go!" the girl cried "I just want to go home!"

The men chuckled.

"You will never see your mommy again, sweetheart" Taro said, with an evil grin.

"That's right" Shiba confirmed "No girl ever leaves this room alive. Try calling for help: scream your head off. This room is complete soundproof!"

"N-no, this can't be..."

Shiba and Taro knew they were playing a dangerous game. They had been abducting children for years, and being found out was _not_ an option. Even the former King would have had them executed; as for the new King, Shun, he would certainly execute them in a very gruesome and painful way. Still, they loved their little game too much to ever stop.

The two men undressed, leaving their clothes on the floor. Now stark naked, Captain Shiba walked up to a table: a pack of elbow-long latex gloves was on it. He wore one of them, and approached the girl from behind. A large mirror had been wisely placed against the wall, allowing him to see the pain on his victims' faces even as he was standing behind them.

"W-what are you going to do to me!?"

Shiba chuckled, moving his gloved finger down her spine.

"Ehehe, I hope you enjoy _anal_ , miss, because there's going to be loads of that. But first, I must l _oosen you up_ a bit..."

" _I hope you enjoy anal too, mister"_

Both Shiba and Taro flinched, and turned their heads: two women were standing in the corner of the room, just below the opened trapdoor. A red-haired shortie, who stared at them with contempt, and a dark-skinned woman with a creepy smile on her face.

"Who...h-how...how did you get in here?" Shiba stuttered "We didn't hear you at all!"

"But of course" the red-haired said, with a cold smile "You could only hear us come if we _wanted_ you to. We are _assassins_ , after all"

Taro unsheated his weapon, but the dark-skinned woman moved quickly, getting behind him and poking a point on his nape: the Lieutenant let go of his dagger, as he was being forced on all fours. Before Shiba could move, the red-haired woman had done the same to him.

Mai got closer to the girl, and grabbed the iron chain with both hands: under Taro and Shiba widened eyes, she easily broke it.

"Go now, sweetheart" she told the girl, as she started to get up, still shaking from head to toe "Your parents are probably dead worried about you right now"

The girl, too shaken to even mutter her thanks, ran away, climbing out of the trapdoor.

Roxanne now towered over the stark naked Captain, forced on the floor in a dog position: she had fire in her eyes.

"You know" she said "I really got to calm down. If I don't, I'll end up killing you _way_ too quickly...and you don't deserve that kind of mercy. I've seen many sick bastards in my life...but I feel like you two surpass them all"

"P-please no!" Shiba uttered.

Roxanne turned her head to Mai.

"These two deserve a befitting punishment. Are you thinking what I am thinking, Mai?"

The dark-skinned woman had an enthusiastic smile on her face.

" _Turducken man! Turducken man!"_ she cheerfully chanted, throwing her fist up in the air.

"Please!" Taro begged "You are the Hokuto women Shun is looking for, am I right? We are army officials...we can give you useful information!"

"That's right!" Shiba uttered "Please, I will tell you anything!"

"Sure you will" Roxanne said, with a mischievious light in her eyes, as she walked to the table and started to put on a latex glove " But first, I must _loosen you up_ a bit..."

* * *

"Okay, I think I found it" Theresa said, as soon as she walked into the bedroom. She got rid of her traveling clothes, tossing them on the bed "There's an abandoned house in the outskirts of Rumia. It's pretty isolated. I asked a villager about it: he said the place's been empty for years"

"Yei!" Olga exclaimed "I was sure you could do it, Theresa! You are always so reliable! I had no luck at all!"

"Good" Saya said "We'll move there as soon as Roxanne and Mai get back. Let's hope they get something valuable out of that Shiba guy"

"I just hope they are not going overboard" Theresa sighed.

* * *

Roxanne had her gloved fist up Shiba's ass.

The man was crying from pain, as his terrified companion watched.

"Where's Princess Reiju being held!?" Roxanne interrogated him.

" _I don't know!"_ the man screamed _"Please! Only the Generals know that! Either General Yoshimasa, or General Tatsuya!"_

"Tatsuya, uh?" Roxanne muttered "The sick bastard that enjoyed flogging chidren...very well. I knew we would have to pay him a visit, eventually"

"Although, if he really lives inside the Royal Palace, he won't be an easy target" Mai pointed out, enjoying the scene as she stood next to Taro.

"What about Goro?" Roxanne inquired "Where is he?"

" _W-who is t-that?!"_

"Another Hokuto Shinken user. He came to Thorvesk a few days ago. I doubt he went unnoticed"

" _T-that freak! He lives inside the Royal Palace too!"_

"Fuck. Looks like we'll have to get into that Palace sooner or later. Any suggestion on how to do that, you maggot?"

" _N-none! I wouldn't know how to get inside the Palace unnoticed! Security is too tight!"_

"Well, that's the where your usefulness ends, I am afraid" Roxanne said "You know what I'm thinking about, Mai? Since we can't cover up what we're doing here anyway...we should leave that Tatsuya guy a message. A message he can't ignore"

She abruptly pulled her fist out of the Captain's ass, forcing a scream out of him.

" _Oh Gods, please!"_ he cried out _"Have mercy!"_

"Don't be such a crybaby" she teased him "We haven't even started yet: we're are prostitutes after all, and we happen to both enjoy the most hardcore practices. You still need some looseing up. Here, this will help"

She brought her hands to both of Shiba's hips, pressing some tsubos.

"Here, this will totally loosen up the walls of your rectum. Otherwise, what I have in my mind wouldn't even be physically possible. I don't want your rectum to rupture too soon: if you bleed out on me, my fun will be spoiled"

"You girls are insane" Taro sobbed, shaking from head to toe in his four legged position.

"Shut up you. Your turn will come soon. But first...even though I stroke his pressure point...I think the Captain still needs some loosening up. My fists are _soo small_ after all. Mai, do you mind?"

"Not at all" Mai said, starting to put a glove on her right hand, covering her arm up to the elbow.

" _W-what...no, don't!_ " Shiba begged, as the mirror showed Mai approaching him from behind.

Mai knelt on the floor.

"Here we go!" she cheerfully said.

Screams filled the air, as she shoved her arm up Shiba's rectum, elbow deep. The screams went on and on, but no-one outside that room could hear them: the place was soundproof, after all.

* * *

It was only after twenty minutes, that Mai stopped torturing Shiba. The man was panting heavily, saliva drooling from his mouth. His companion, Taro, was now too terrified to even speak.

"I think he's nice and loose now" Mai told Roxanne, who nodded, with an evil grin on her face.

"It's time for the grand finale, then: the _Turducken man_ "

"W-wait..." Shiba whispered with the little voice he had left "Please, hear me out..."

Roxanne stood still, allowing him to speak.

"I...I regret everything...I regret what I did to children...I'll never do it again, I swear it before the Gods! I didn't ask for this...I didn't want to be born the way I am!"

"Nah, you don't regret it at all" Roxanne replied "You would do it another thousand times. If I sensed actual regret in you, who knows...I might have granted you a merciful death; but this is not the case. Besides, it's not about the way you're born: it's about what you _do._ It's about who you _choose_ to be. In fact, I would have no reason to hurt a pedophile, as long as he never hurt anyone. He didn't ask to be born a pedophile, after all. A _child molester_ though...that's an entirely different matter"

Having said that, she walked up to Taro.

"I-I b-beseech you" the man stuttered "It's all C-Captain Shiba's fault...I was just f-following orders..."

"You liar"

Roxanne grabbed his shoulders and dragged him on the floor, bringing him behind Shiba.

"W-what are you going to do?"

"You are about to find out. Mai, are we ready?"

"Yup. Let's get this turducken cooked"

Roxanne knelt beside Shiba and spread his buttcheeks with her fingers. The Captain was looking at the scene into the mirror; he only realized what was going to happen when it was too late.

" _Turducken!"_ Mai yelled, as she shoved Taro's head up Shiba's ass.

"GOOOOOOOOOODS!"

Pushed in with supernatural strength, Taro's head stretched Shiba's rectum to an unnatural degree, until it completely fitted into it. Shiba's eyes looked like they were about to pop out from their orbits.

"I'LL DIE! I'LL DIE! I'LL DIE FROM THE PAIN!"

"What, I thought you enjoyed anal?" Roxanne giggled, mocking him "Here, let me undo your paralysis: I want to see you wriggle"

She pressed a point on his back, and Shiba finally stood on his knees, staring at his own enlarged belly with crazed eyes: muffled screams came from inside.

"That guy is going to suffocate if we don't act quickly" Mai pointed out.

"Yeah, and we can't allow that, or all of this work will be for nothing. Mai, please: proceed"

The woman knelt behind Taro.

"A nice prostate massage incoming!" she happily announced " _ATA_!"

She violently punched Taro in his rear, shoving her gloved fist up his rectum. Her high-pitched battle cry echoed in the basement, as she followed the first attack with countless others.

" _Atatatatatata!"_

In that moment, Shiba's belly started to expand, as Taro muffled screams got louder: Taro's head was literally swelling up inside his rectum.

"Did you know that the human head can grow up to four times its size, when a Hokuto technique is correctly performed?" Roxanne whispered in Shiba's ear "Please, enjoy this to the fullest"

Shiba could only claw at his own enlarged belly, as he screamed at the top of his lungs: his mental sanity had been already shattered. Then, the muffled but unmistakable sound of an explosion was heard: red dots appeared on Shiba's belly, where bone shards had pierced him, sticking outside.

Taro's beheaded body fell to the ground, as Shiba tried to get up. The Captain stood on trembling legs for a moment, his face pale as a sheet, his mouth opened but unable to emit a single sound. Then, he dropped dead on the floor, blood and brain matter spurting out of his ass.

* * *

It was night already.

Inside his office, General Tatsuya was sitting at the desk. Even in the dim light provided by the candles, his face was undeniably pale.

His men had found Captan Shiba dead in the basement of his villa, together with one of his underlings. It had took them a little bit of time to understand what exactly had happened.

 _He had brain matter and cranium shards in his rectum._

Tatsuya shuddered at the thought. Even worse, someone had painted the wall with the victim's blood, writing a single word: his name.

 _I knew it!_ He screamed internally. _I have become a target! Those horrible, bloodthirsty monsters are after me!_

For the first time, Tatsuya was actually considering fleeing from the city. Leaving all of it behind: his position, his money, his power. The only thing he could think about was this: he never wanted to die like that.

 _But, what if they decide to chase after me?_ He wondered. _What if they chase me to the end of the Earth?! I don't think I can ever escape monsters like that! Besides, Shun could also decide to hunt me down, and execute me for desertion!_

Now matter how much he thought about it, he saw no solution at all. He felt like a mouse trapped between two very hungry cats.

 _Why did this have to happen?!_ He thought, on the verge of crying. _If only the old King was still alive…_

In that moment, someone knocked at the door, startling him.

"W-who is it!?" he asked, in a high-pitched voice.

"It's me, General" a familiar voice said.

"Ooh, Misao!" Tatsuya uttered, reassured "Come in!"

A man wearing a dark cloak appeared.

"Please, sit down. I presume you have some useful information for me"

"I have"

As the man sat, he started to make his report.

"The five wanted women are in Rumia's village. They got one of our men...did something weird to him...but I was more careful. I followed them from a safe distance: they moved inside an old house to the outskirts of the village"

"Oh, so you know where they are! Wonderful!"

"Should I report to General Yoshimasa too?"

"No, that won't be necessary. Please, tell me exactly out to reach that place"

As the man talked, Tatsuya wrote some notes down.

"Perfect!" he exclaimed, as soon as the other was done talking "Now, you are the only one who knows about their location, I presume?"

"Yes. I've reported only to you so far"

"Splendid. Here, let me walk you to the door"

The General put an arm around the spy's neck, who looked taken aback by that friendly behaviour.

"Now, don't tell anybody about this" Tatsuya said, with a gentle smile on his face "I will be the one to inform his Majesty, alright?"

"Yes, sir. You can count on m-…!"

Tatsuya's hand covered the man's mouth. A muffled scream echoed in the room, as a knife pierced the spy's neck. The man wriggled in pain for a couple of seconds: then, his body fell to the floor, in a pool of his own blood.

"Sorry, but I can't let anyone learn about this" Tatsuya muttered to himself, his heart pounding heavily in his chest. He had already decided: it was the hardest decision he would ever take in his life.

 _This may be insane, but there's no way around it._ _If I want to survive...I must betray Shun._


	23. Chapter 23: Traitor

_Rumia's village, abandoned house_

"The Royal Palace, uh?" Saya commented, after hearing what Roxanne and Mai had to say "This is going to be hard"

It was the middle of the night. Only candles provided a dim light: their trembling flames casted dancing shadows on their troubled faces.

"There's no avoiding it" Mai said "The only ones who know where Reiju is, are Shun and his Generals, and they live in the Palace. Goro lives there too. And it would be safe to assume that Reiju herself is being held in the Palace's dungeons, under Shun's direct control"

"Sneaking into a place we don't know, that is guarded by hundreds of men…it's simply impossible" Theresa observed "The only course of action left...is to openly storm the Palace"

"You mean..." Olga muttered, furrowing her brow.

"I mean walking in through the front door. Kill every soldier that tries to stop us, and go directly to Shun. It will be five against one, and Saya will perform the _Will of the Goddess_. After Shun is dead, setting the Princess free will be easy"

"But it's hard to believe we will be able to confront Shun with no interference" Saya pointed out "His top General, Yoshimasa, is a martial artist too, of the Taizan sword style. He could also get help by Goro. Even though they are small fries compared to us, we can't afford to get any distraction when fighting Shun. Not to mention his soldiers: they're too many. And most of them are not former raiders or killers: they are just regular people. If we storm the Palace, many innocent people will die: this is _not_ what Reiju would have wanted"

"There's another downside to a direct attack" Mai said "Shun could hold Reiju hostage against us. We don't know why he kept her alive instead of killing her at Enoch...but I think that he would readily threaten her life, if this invalidates our will to fight"

" _Cunning bastard_ " Theresa cursed through her teeth "He's got the upper hand, no matter how we look at it"

"Still, maybe this really is the only way" Saya sighed "Many people will die...it will be a mess….but at the very least, we can use our numbers to our advantage. Once inside the Palace, we'll split: I and two others will confront Shun...and the remaining two will go look for Reiju. Making guards talk will be easy thanks to Hokuto Shinken"

"Theresa should be with you, Saya" Mai suggested "Since it's very likely that Goro would fight side by side with Shun"

Saya nodded, with a merciless light in her eyes.

"It's high time that bastard Goro pays for what he did"

"So, we are agreed" Roxanne muttered, gazing down with a sudden sorrow in her eyes "We really are going to kill him...kill Shun..."

Silence fell upon the room. Contemplating the fight that awaited them, the Hokuto women could only stare at the floor with heavy hearts. Then, they all turned their head towards the front door, as they sensed someone approach.

"An incredibly rotten karma, in the middle of the night" Theresa whispered "Should I deal with it?"

"Wait" Saya said "It's a rotten karma, yes, but I sense no hostility...no killing intent. Let's see who it is first"

Then, Saya raised her voice:

" _Hey, you! We know you're there! Come inside, and don't even think about running away!"_

A few moments later, a terrified voice replied:

" _I've come in peace! I mean no harm! Please, don't kill me!"_

The door opened.

A tall man shrouded in a dark cloak walked in, then fell to his knees; Theresa closed the door behind him. Under the cloak, the man was wearing a golden breastplate. His scared eyes moved from a woman to the other.

"I'm General Tatsuya, of the Thorvesk army" he said "I've come to help you!"

Upon hearing his name and title, all five women clenched their fists and stared at him with hostility: even Olga had a cold look in her eyes.

"So, you're the bastard that enjoyed flogging children, ad hurting the elderly" Theresa growled, moving a step forward "You _really_ shouldn't have come"

"Wait, please!" the man uttered, cowering in fear "I betrayed Shun! I've come to assist you to the best of my abilities!"

" _Why!?"_ Saya hissed.

"I don't want to die!" the man cried out, tears watering his eyes " After what you did to Captain Shiba, I knew Shun couldn't protect me! Please...I can't stand the thought of dying like that! It's the most dreadful thing I've ever seen in my life! Shun's atrocities do not compare!"

"By the Gods, what did you do to Captain Shiba?" Saya asked, addressing Mai and Roxanne "You only told us he and one of his underlings were about to rape and kill and young girl, and that you disposed of them"

Roxanne put on a smug smile, crossing her arms.

"In short? We gave them hell"

Then, the red-haired Hokuto girl moved a few steps towards Tatsuya, towering over him.

"I see our death threat worked much better than expected" she said "And so, you intend to betray Shun and to side with the strong for your own survival, like the little scheming rat you are. Too bad, you made a grave mistake: whatever precious information you are holding, we can easily get it out of you by _force_. We can torture you, bend you to our will; we can force you to do whatever we want. By coming here, you really put yourself in a tight spot..."

Tatsuya wanted to reply, but could only cower on the floor, shaking from head to toe; he watched as Roxanne raised a hand, ready to strike his pressure points…

"Wait" Saya said.

The others looked at her. Saya was staring at Tatsuya with sadness in her eyes.

"Coward or not, he came here of his own volition" she said "He may be deserving of death...but let's give him a chance to earn his right to live. Let's hear what he has to say"

Tatsuya's eyes filled with gratitude and relief.

"Thank you!" he exclaimed, crawling at Saya's feet "Oh blessed girl, thank you.."

"First of all: how did you find us? Does Shun know about our location?"

"No, don't worry about that! Only the spy who reported to me knows about this place...but I took care of him"

"You mean, you _murdered_ your own underling"

Saya felt disgust getting the best of her, but she decided to set the matter aside for the moment.

"So, speak: where is Reiju being held? She's in the Palace, right?"

"No, she isn't"

Puzzlement appeared on everyone's faces.

"What!?" Roxanne exclaimed _"Why!?"_

"Because, even the Palace isn't totally safe" Tatsuya readily answered "Sure, there's tons of guards...but they can't even slow you down. Shun is there, ready to step in if any of you appear...but the Palace is a big place, and there's five of you: he can't keep you busy all at once. Also, stone walls can be breached, no matter how thick; windows can be reached, no matter how high. In short, he feared you would be able to snatch the Princess away, from right under his nose"

"Then where is she?" Theresa interrogated him.

"In a secret place...the safest place in all of Thorvesk. A place even Shun wouldn't be able to breach in with strength alone"

Roxanne raised an eyebrow.

"Does such a place even _exist?_ "

"It does. We are talking about an antinuclear shelter, designed to resist an explosion up to 5 Megatons. Shun said even you wouldn't be able to break in"

Silence fell on the group for a moment. Then, Roxanne voiced what they were all thinking.

" _Fuuuck!_ " she exclaimed "How is he always a step ahead of us?!"

"Where is this shelter?" Saya asked.

"In the outskirts of Thorvesk: I can give you very detailed directions. It used to be a private shelter: citizens don't know about it. Only the former King and General Yoshimasa were aware of its existence, and kept it secret, in order to use it as a final stronghold to protect the Royal family. But Yoshimasa, who had tried to fight Shun and had been spared by him, finally decided to betray the former King, and told Shun everything valuable he was aware of. I only learned of it because...well, because most former Generals had been killed by Shun, and he needed new underlings. I had readily submitted to him, so he made me a General"

"He trusted you would be too much of coward to betray him" Theresa said "Well, turns out Shun was wrong for once"

"So, how does Shun get in?" Mai asked.

"The metal hatch is automatized: only Shun knows the code. There's no way to get our hands on the code either: it's not written anywhere. Shun came up with a twenty letters long code, and memorized it, so he would be the only one free to come and go. But, he left a couple of guards _inside_ the shelter, tasked with taking care of the Princess. They can open up the hatch from inside"

"Well, sounds like we just need to convice them to open the hatch for us" Roxanne commented.

"It won't be that easy. They have been told to only open it for Shun or General Yoshimasa: even I don't have clearance to get in. And their pressure points have been manipulated by Shun: if they don't comply with his orders, they will _die_ "

"Fuck!" Theresa hissed "They will never open it, then. And we can't force them to do something they don't want to, if we can't touch them!"

" I also imagine the place will be crawling with soldiers" Saya sighed.

"Oh, no, not at all!" Tatsuya assured them "Shun thinks secrecy is the best weapon against foes that can't be stopped by common soldiers! Having a military contingent guarding the place would have drawn your attention to it!"

"What about Goro?" Theresa asked "We heard he lives inside the West wing of the Palace"

"Oh no!" Tatsuya grinned, happy to give them something useful "Goro and his woman have been sent away from the Palace!"

"Away? Why?!" Saya asked "I thought Shun had made an alliance with Goro, and offered him his protection"

"It's exactly because Shun wants to protect Goro" Tatsuya explained "Even though His Majesty has never showed anything but disdain towards him, he really wants to protect him. He said that allowing Goro to live was proof of the purity of his mission, or something like that...he's afraid that you could somehow sneak into the Palace, and kill Goro before he can intervene. So, he sent him away, to a secret location. This way, if you ever try to sneak into the Palace, you will only find Shun waiting for you"

"That _bastard!_ " Roxanne growled "He should be aware of what Goro did to Theresa, and yet he's going to such lengths to protect him!"

"And where would this _secret location_ be?" Mai inquired.

"An oasis not far from Thorversk: I can draw you a map. You'll find an abandoned building there. Honestly, Shun isn't even aware I know about this. I took the risk of reading the secret report of the Captain who escorted Goro there: I thought knowing about that would prove useful"

"Well, look at you" Roxanne teased him, with a pleased smile on her face "Little rat proving itself to be useful, hoping mommy doesn't put it down"

"Very well" Saya said "We finally have something to work with"

"But those guards in the shelter..." Theresa muttered.

"They cannot go against Shun orders, otherwise they'll die before they can even try to open the hatch. But, we know how this technique works: they will not die, if they _think_ they are not going against Shun's orders. We'll just have to convince them, somehow"

She turned her head to Tatsuya.

"I'm going to save Reiju...and you shall come with me"

Tatsuya eyes widened with fear.

"Come with you?!" he uttered "B-but I thought..."

"You thought you would just tell us about the place, and then you would be free to go?! Hell no!"

Saya towered over him, with a cold smile on her face.

"You will help us save Reiju. You will put your life on the line. And if the Princess actually comes out of this unscathed….then, there will be a tiny, tiny chance of you leaving this place alive"

* * *

It was dawn.

Tatsuya was driving the milary van he had used to leave the city back to Thorvesk's gates.

Six infrantymen were standing guard, better equipped than any raider: they were wearing metal brest-plates and metal helmets, and had long spears in their hands. On the top of the walls, twenty well trained archers were standing with their bows ready.

"Ah, General Tatsuya" a Sergent said, as soon as he rolled down the window "You're back"

"Yes. As I told you, I'm on an important, secret mission. Don't report to anyone about me being out of town last night"

"Understood. Men, let him in!"

With his heart racing, Tatsuya drove through the gates. Those men had no idea there was a wanted, extremely dangerous woman hidden in the back of the van. The one named Saya was waiting back there, in silence, with her hands cuffed.

The Hokuto women had spent almost all night discussing the details of the plan. In the end, they had agreed on letting Saya go alone.

Speaking of those women...they really were a sight to behold. _Expecially_ the blondie. Not only she had the biggest tits Tatsuya had ever seen...her personality was the best. She was quite the airhead, but also gentle and kind...and submissive. To a sadist like Tatsuya, Olga was a dream come true. Just thinking about flogging those huge tits, making her scream of pain, got him an erection…

 _You idiot! Don't think about that!_ He reprimanded himself, as he drove through the city. _Your life is on the line here! If they sense your perverted thoughts, they might kill you just for that!_

Besides, things like parties and women were probably long gone: he would be probably forced to flee the city, and start a new life. He would go back to being a nobody...unless, assuming those girls actually defeated Shun, the Princess took him again in her service. Last time they met, Reiju was about to kill him...but wouldn't she be thankful, that Tatsuya helped save her life?

 _Stop thinking so much ahead of things! Just focus on surviving for now!_

He finally stopped in front of the house.

He got off the vehicle, and let out Saya too. She was shrouded in a dark cloak, and kept her cuffed hands in front of herself.

"Is this the right place?" she asked "Looks like an ordinary building to me"

"It's the right one" Tatsuya whispered. Now that the hardest part was coming, his heart was pounding heavily in his chest, and his legs were shaking.

"Please" he begged "Tell me that, if all goes well, my life will be spared. I need to hear it, to go through with this"

"Too bad" Saya said "You won't get any kind of guarantee regarding that. But, I can tell you something"

She looked into his eyes, dead serious.

"The safest course of action would have been to press a point on your body that forced you to not betray us. But, I didn't want to do that. Because, if I did, your actions would have no weight. Instead, I wanted to give you a chance to _earn_ your right to live. So shut up and go along with the plan!"

"Y-yes"

They got closer to the door.

"Open up!" Tatsuya ordered "It's me, the General!"

The door opened: four soldiers were waiting inside. They looked at the Hokuto woman with fear and puzzlement.

"Sir, what are you..."

"Can't you see I have a prisoner?! Now, I'll bring her to the shelter"

They walked inside. In the next room, a metal hatch was visible on the floor. Tatsuya knew the floor itself was made by reinforced concrete with a core of steel, almost two meters thick.

The man towered over the hatch.

"Hey, you inside!" he yelled "Open up! I'm General Tatsuya! I've brought another important prisoner!"

* * *

Reiju furrowed her brow, as she heard the voice coming from outside.

 _Another important prisoner? Could it be one of them?_

The two guards, who were playing dice, looked at each other with troubled expressions.

"I'm sorry, sir" said one of them "But we really can't open up. Only General Yoshimasa and His Majesty himself are allowed into the shelter. If we don't comply, our heads will explode!"

" _Whaat?!"_ the voice from outside grew louder "Are you dense or what?! Do you think I would ever come here, if His Majesty himself hadn't ordered me to!? Listen up, you fools: I'm simply reporting His Majesty orders to you. You _must_ open up! If you don't, you will be defying his orders...let alone being punished later, you heads may very well explode right now!"

The men looked at each other: they were terrified. They weren't sure about what to do: they only knew they didn't want to die.

"Well, if it's His Majesty that says so..." the younger one muttered, pale as a sheet.

"Fuck, I'm opening up" the other one said "I'm not dying in a shitty place like this"

He pushed a red button on the wall. The hatch started to open.

A few moments later, both the General and the prisoner climbed down the ladder.

Reiju's heart skipped a beat, when she realized it was Saya.

"W-well" one of the guards said, still sweating profusely "Looks like we were right to open up. If we were wrong, our heads would have already exploded"

"Yes, they haven't exploded" Saya muttered "yet"

In a single move, she broke free of the metal cuffs, as if they were made of paper. Then, she stuck her index fingers in the guards temples, too quick for them to react.

" _W-what!? What the fuck!"_ the older of them yelled, utterly terrified _"She stuck her finger into my brain!"_

" _Oh Gods, no!"_ the other one cried _"I don't want to die like this!"_

Saya turned to the younger one.

"You are a decent man: take a nap" she said, pulling her finger out of his head. The guard simply fainted, falling on the floor.

"And you" Saya said, coldy staring at the other guy "You are a murderous piece of shit. Go to hell"

She pulled her finger back. The man tottered backwards, still in shock.

"W-wait, you are joking, right? Right?….oh, _Gods!_ "

In the span of three seconds only, his heads blew up, splattering blood and brain matter on the wall behind him.

"Saya!" Reiju yelled, as the Hokuto woman ran to her.

"Can't you cut through this bars?" Saya asked.

"I can't! Shun took away my Fist!"

"He _sealed_ it?!"

"No, he said it would come back to me, eventually"

"I'll get you out then"

Saya grabbed the bars and pulled, violently detaching them from floor and ceiling.

"Don't worry about your Fist" Saya said, grabbing Reiju by the wrist and pulling her out of the cell "Olga will fix you just right. Let's go!"

The two ran to the ladder and climbed out of the shelter. Tatsuya followed them.

Screams of pain echoed inside the building, as Saya took care of the four guards standing near the exit.

"Quick, to the van!" Saya said, kicking the frontdoor open. Then, as they got out, Tatsuya glanced to his right...and his blood froze.

"Oh no" he groaned, taking a few steps back.

General Yoshimasa was standing a few meters from them, with a huge sword sheated on his back.

He had a puzzled expression on his face: he was probably just checking up on the shelter, and he did not expect to see such a scene. But soon, his eyes narrowed with rage.

"Tatsuya" he growled, unsheating his curved sword "You traitor…."

Tatsuya was too scared to even move.

"Go!" Saya yelled at him "Start the van! I'll handle this! And don't even think of running away without us, or else you're dead meat!"

As Tatsuya found to courage to run to the vehicle, she took a fighting stance.

Yoshimasa also took the stance of his Taizan sword style, and moved a few steps foward.

"Wait!" Reiju yelled, standing behind Saya "Please, Yoshimasa...why?! Why would you stop me? Yoshimasa, I beg of you...stand aside! I don't want you to _die_!"

"Princess..."

Doubt and regret clouded the General eyes; but soon after, a fiery light appeared in them.

" _My name is Yoshimasa, General of Thorvesk's army!"_ he proclamed, raising his sword to the sky "I served the former King, when he built this Country! And I will serve the new King, as he builds a new world! Not only for the sake of Thorvesk, but for every unfortunate person surviving in the wastelands of former Japan, I shall _not_ stand aside!"

Having said that, he threw his enormous body at Saya, with supernatural speed.

" _Taizan Sword Style secret technique: Ten Blades of the Shinigami!"_

He started to swing at Saya, so quickly that multiple blades seemed to dance in the air; the attack was so fierce that, even while dodging, the girl could do nothing but slowly draw back.

" _My resolve won't falter, not even against a Goddess of Death!"_ the man yelled, as he kept bringing his attacks. Then, suddenly, Saya stepped forward: she dodged the blade, and penetrated his defenses.

Her fist hit two pressure points in quick succession: one on Yoshimasa chest, the other on his shoulder.

The big man staggered backwards; a moment later, his left pectoral muscle and shoulder exploded.

Blood spurted from the wounds like a fountain, as the man fell to the ground.

"If your resolve will help Shun raise hell on this lands, I have no choice but to take your life" Saya gravely said, as she towered upon the defeated man. She raised a hand, ready to deliver a deadly blow.

" _No, Saya! Wait!"_

Reiju ran to the General and knelt beside him, shielding him with her own body.

" _Saya, I beg of you! Spare this man's life! Even if he's misguided, he's the dearest person to me!"_

Yoshimasa weakly managed to raise his head from the ground. His eyes were filling with tears.

"Princess" he whispered "Even after I betrayed you, you still care for me?"

" _Of course, you fool!"_ Reiju cried out, tears rolling down her cheeks "Who cares if you betrayed me? We are _family_ , aren't we!?"

"Princess..."

As the girl sobbed, her face pushed against his chest, the defeated warrior couldn't stop his tears from flowing as well.

"Fine, but we can't stay here a minute longer" Saya said "Step aside, Reiju"

She leaned over the man and pressed two points on his hips: the bleeding stopped. Then, she took his enormous body on her back, and carried it to the van with incredible speed.

A few moments later, they were driving away, headed to Rumia's village.

* * *

The guard was cowering on the ground outside of the building; he had woken up a few minutes before, in the shelter, only to find out his companion had died horribly, and the Princess had broken free from her cell. Now, he was facing his Majesty himself, who had just heard his report and was now staring at him with bloodshot eyes.

"And so" Shun said, talking more to himself than to the guard "General Tatsuya betrayed me...General Yoshimasa is nowhere to be found...and Princess Reiju is gone"

A blue light suddenly exploded around Shun's body. A furious wind blew in every direction, rasing his golden cape to the sky. Even the Earth itself started to trembled, and the tweny armed men escorting the King struggled to keep their balance.

 _Death,_ the terrified guard thought, as he witnessed the King's fury. _This is Death itself!_

Shun eyes were glowing with a red, unforgiving light. He towered above the man and slowly raised a hand. Then man had no doubt about it: his life was forfeit.

" _No, please!"_ he could only beg, in a high-pitched voice _"Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"_

Shun's hand stopped.

The wind subsided, and the earthquake ceased. The blue light started to go out.

Both the guard and the twenty men of the escort looked at the King with terrified eyes.

"I must calm down, before making even more of a fool out of myself" Shun said "There's no need for you to pay with your life: you merely followed my instructions that were unclear to begin with. No...this is _my_ fault"

The man couldn't believe his ears. He still did not dare to believe the King was sparing him.

"Yes" Shun continued, deeply immersed in thought "This happened because I overestimated the strength of the leash I put on Tatsuya. A leash made of terror, that was broken with terror. Well, no matter...I'll just have to make sure all of my leashes are stronger, from now on..."

He then turned to look to the small crowd that had gathered in the street: the citizens had been drawn out of their homes by the commotion.

"But" he added, with sorrow in his eyes "it seems I won't be able to look after this Kingdom, until I deal with those girls..."

* * *

In the large room at the second floor of the abandoned house in Rumia, Tatsuya was on his knees, facing four of the Hokuto women. Olga was downstairs, in the bedroom, taking care of Yoshimasa's wounds and intent on restoring Reiju's Fist.

"The time has come, Tatsuya" Saya said, coldly staring at him. He could sense nothing but hostility coming from them all.

"If I m-may speak" he stuttered "I hoped Princess Reiju would grant me her pardon, after everything that..."

"She's not granting you her pardon" Saya informed him "Not after what you did in Enoch village. After all, it's not like you saved her out of loyalty. But...since you were helpful, she has given up the idea of executing you herself, and tasked us with passing judgement on you instead"

 _That's insane!_ Tatsuya thought, sweating profusely. _I'd rather die by Nanto Seiken than Hokuto Shinken!_

"After this, you won't be allowed to serve Her Highness anymore. You will leave Thorversk and never come back. That is, assuming you leave this room alive"

Tatsuya clasped his hands: he could only pray the Gods at this point.

"General Tatsuya, you are a wicked man" Saya said, staring at him with contempt "You flogged children and elderly alike, and took pleasure in doing so. You murdered one of your underlings because you thought you would have better chances at saving your life. You cowardly betrayed your former King, _and_ your new King, proving youself to be devoid of honour. But most importantly...we can tell by your karma what kind of man you are, what kind of crimes you committed in the past. You have hurt many helpless people to satiate your sadistic appetites...mostly women, I would assume. Such crimes, call the judgment of the Heavens upon you"

 _Please, no!_ He thought, shaking from head to toe.

"No-one in this room is willing to let you leave this place alive..."

 _Oh, Gods!_

"...no-one, except me"

… _.what?_

Tatsuya couldn't believe what he just heard. He just stared at Saya, unable to speak.

"Yes. I intend to spare your life" she continued, still giving him a cold gaze "I'm aware that, by doing so, I'm probably putting someone's else life at risk...but I'm willing to give you a second chance. Princess Reiju once said to me: _mercy is for those who don't deserve it_. You came here by your own voliton, and put your life in our hands...and I do not want to crush that life, no matter how rotten you are"

Tears started to fill Tatsuya's eyes.

"Then..." he whispered, looking at the other girls "All of you..."

"I would have never spared you" Theresa growled, staring at him with her arms crossed "But if Saya wants you to live, I shall respect her wish"

"Just freaking go, before I change my mind" Roxanne hissed through her teeth.

Tatsuya was now crying from relief.

"Thank you!" he uttered, extending his trembling hands towards Saya "I'll be forever thankful!"

"Just get out of my sight" she coldly replied "If I ever see you again, I shall personally end you"

"Y-yes! I'll go away and never come back!"

Tatsuya ran to the door, tears of gratitude still clouding his eyes.

In that moment, the door exploded into a thousands wooden shards.

A human finger violently poked him on the glabella, right between his eyes: an unpleasant sensation spread from that point to all of his body.

Tatsuya tottered backwards, staring in front of himself, in disbelief.

The big tittied blondie was standing in front of him, with a cold stare in her blue eyes.

"W-what…?!" he stuttered.

"Olga, _what are you doing?!_ " Saya yelled at her "We had spared that guy! We were letting him go!"

"Uh!?"

Puzzlement and confusion appeared on Olga's face.

"Really? You were letting him go!? But I...I was coming upstairts, and I felt his rotten karma running at the door...I thought he was running away from you!"

Roxanne burst into laughs.

"This is just _hilarious!_ " she exclaimed.

"Wait" Olga said, with genuine regret on her face "Maybe I can still undo it..."

"Undo it?!" Theresa exclaimed "Olga, I felt the amount of ki you used _from here!_ I could feel it on my skin! I almost _tasted_ it! There's no way you can balance that much back!"

"There-chan is right" Mai pointed out "Your ki must have gone into his meridianus system, activating many different points on his body. At this point, it's hard to even _guess_ which ones are activated"

"Oh, no..." Olga whispered, staring at a terrified Tatsuya.

"Well" Saya sighed "What's done it's done. Don't beat yourself up too much over it"

"What!?" Tatsuya exclaimed, desperately looking at Saya "No, please, this can't be!"

Olga clasped her hand, and bowed her head.

"Mister, I'm so sorry! I got carried away and used too much ki, and now I can't save your life! On the top of that, I used the Hokuto Mugoi Ken, because Roxie-chan suggested using it sometime, and you had been a real baddie flogging those children..."

"Oh my" Mai commented with a smile, as Roxanne laughed even harder.

"What can I do to atone for taking your life?" Olga went on "Wait, I know!"

She grabbed her clothes and tore them apart, exposing her torso. Her two big, bouncy breasts with large pink nipples popped out in the air.

"You like my boobs a lot, don't you, Mister? I noticed you were glaring at them before. I'm a prostitute, so please, Mister: this is for free!"

She grabbed both of his hands and placed them on her breasts.

"What are you babbling about, you idiot!" Tatsuya cried out " My life is on the line here!"

Then, his right arm broke into four different spots: the pain, several times greater than normal, forced an high-pitched scream out of him. A second later, all of his skin felt like burning: lumps of throbbing flesh appeared on his torso, his face, the top of his head...even on his tongue.

" _IT HURTS!"_ he screamed at the top of his lungs " _IT HUUUURTS!"_

His hair was falling off, as his head started to swell up. The lumps of flesh on his chest and back grew bigger, tearing the superficial layes of the skin apart: his golden breast-plate came off, falling to the floor. It was like having flesh-eating bugs dig tunnels into his muscles: except that the bugs themselves felt like they were made of white-hot metal.

"Wow, you _really_ have a talent for the Mugoi Ken!" Roxanne commented, still laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.

"No, please, Mister!" Olga said, sincerely regretful "Do not despair! Just hold on to me, it will be over soon!"

Having said that, she grabbed both sides of his deformed head and brought it to her chest.

Tatsuya's face sank between Olga's breasts, pushed against them with supernatural strength, while still letting out muffled screams.

"What is she doing..." Saya sighed, with a facepalm.

"This. Is. Just. Too. _Precious_ " Roxanne panted, laughing so hard he was struggling to breath.

Eventually, what had become of Tatsuya's body exploded: blood and brain matter splattered Olga from head to toe. Tatsuya's lower half, with a segment of spine still sticking out of it, slowly fell backwards to the floor.

"What a mess" Olga commented, with a guilty expression on her face.

"Well, let's clean it all up" Saya said "Olga, take a bath. Our next target is Goro: let's not keep him waiting"


	24. Chapter 24: Story of a flea-ridden boy

_Early 90s_

The boy strolled along the bank of the stream, cheerfully whistling.

Anyone who would lay eyes upon him, would have thought the boy had not much to be cheerful about: he was extremely skinny, and not very tall for his age of 12, a clear consequence of malnutrition. He was wearing worn-out, dirty clothes, and his brown hair, almost reaching to his shoulders, were oily and greasy.

Still, the reason for the boy's cheerfulness was firmly held in one of his hands: a bag of rice. In the other hand, he held something even more precious: a wooden box, containing the tools that allowed him to survive.

Goro finally reached the shelter, facing the unsteady wooden bridge stretching across the stream. Beyond the bridge, a narrow path strechted all the way up through the mountains, leading to the Temple of the Sinful Fist of the North Star.

The shelter was nothing more than a small cave, with some sheet metal placed against the entrance as a door. He moved the sheet metal aside, and walked in.

On some cardboard, placed on the ground as some kind of flooring, there were a blanket and a change of clothes: they weren't exactly clean, since he used to wash them in the stream, with little to no soap.

He put the wooden box down, and opened it. He couldn't help it: he had to make sure nothing was missing, checking on the box's content several times a day.

There were tarot cards, which he used to tell fortune to tourists; three small wooden containers and a pebble, that he used to trick passers-by, challenging them to guess where the pebble was; a bowl that he used to collect charity money, and several other tricks. Once he was reassured nothing was missing, he closed the box and finally gave all of his attention to the bag of rice. He took a small pot from the cave and took it outside. He filled it with water and readied a fire, starting to cook the rice on the bank of the stream, as he had done several times already.

The smell of the rice being cooked easied his weariness, putting Goro in an even better mood.

After a few minutes, he heard something nervously scamper behind the shelter; soon, a mangy mutt approached. It was small, and scrawny; most of its body hair was missing.

"You came, stupid dog" Goro said, with a smile "You always come when there's food to eat, don't you?"

He hadn't named it: he just called it _stupid dog._ Surprisingly enough, the mutt reacted to that insult, as it were its own name. It wasn't Goro's dog: he just scampered along the bank of the stream, desperately looking for something to eat, and kept him company from time to time.

An evil grin appeared on Goro's face, as he picked up a pebble and threw it at the dog. He hit the muzzle with perfect aim, and a yelp of pain was forced out of the poor creature. Goro laughed: he liked teasing the dog from time to time. When he was in a bad mood, he even kicked it, and beated it with a stick on its back; and yet, despite the abuse, the dog would always come back to him: it had nowhere else to go, after all.

 _Just like me._

The little mutt got closer to the boiling pot. Goro took some cooked rice out of it with a wooden spoon, and put it on the ground. The dog came closer and started to eat the rice avidly; as it was eating, Goro scratched it behind the ears. Most kids in town wouldn't want to touch such a flea-ridden dog, but Goro didn't mind: he had got fleas too.

"Sorry, can't give you more than that" Goro said "You are smaller than me, after all: you don't need to eat as much as me"

But a moment later, he went back on his decision, and put another spoonful of rice on the ground.

He couldn't help to like the stupid dog: he felt that they were very much alike.

 _He's all alone, just as I am._

Goro barely remembered his parents; they had died when he was very young. His grandma had taken care of him until he was 8; but then, she too had died. At that point, Goro had been taken to an orphanage; he had spent two years there. But he hated the teachers, who would constantly beat the kids with wooden sticks; and he hated the kids too, who bullied him and stole his food. So, one night, Goro had decided to leave: he was only 10, but he was fed up with that kind of fake family.

He had decided he would survive on his own; he never found out if the people at the orphanage had even bothered to look for him. Once, while panhandling in the streets, two cops had approached him: Goro had feared they would ask him his name and bring him back to the orphanage, but they had just bullied him and kicked him around. That was really no surprise: Goro was well aware of the villagers' thought process.

 _To those people, the less you have, the less you are._

He hadn't been completely alone though: for a few months, he had been living with a shady guy, some kind of buddhist monk. He was the one who who lived in the shelter along the stream, and owned the small pot and the wooden box with all of its trinkets. He had mercy on Goro, wandering the streets all alone, and took him in.

Despite claiming to be a priest, the only religious thing he ever did was chant some kind of buddhist prayer before eating the rice. Aside from that, what he did was anything but holy: he tricked passers-by, stole from them, and faked a limp in order to elicit their mercy and get some money from them. He barely fed Goro, since he wasted most of his money on alcohol anyway.

Still, Goro was grateful to the man for taking him in, and for everything he had taught him; that had been the closest thing to a family to Goro since his grandma died.

The priest had died in his sleep three months before, probably from a heart attack. No surprise: the man was over sixty years old, he drank too much and ate too little.

There was little Goro could do to give the man a proper burial; so, he had dragged his body in the streets, in the middle of the night, leaving the matter in the hands of the police. He had chanted the buddhist prayer he had learned from him,and left him there; but first, he had picked what little coin the man still had on his body.

 _And now, I am on my own._

It was a hard life. He was cold almost all year long, and he was hungry all the time. Besides, villagers got violent at times: nobody liked a flea-ridden boy. There was also a group of kids around his age that would bother him at any occasion: Goro had tried to fight them a couple of times, but they had beaten him up badly.

Goro wasn't _sad_ about his life. In his eyes, there was nothing to be sad about: it was only natural that the strong would prey the weak. After all, he had chosen that kind of life, knowing it would be hard.

But sometimes, expecially during the long, winter nights he spent on a empty stomach, he had thought he would not make it. Shaking as a leaf, he had cowered in the darkness, and thought about going to a police station.

 _I'm starving,_ he would say to them, _please, take me back to the orphanage._

But the very thought of doing something like that made his seeth with anger.

 _I'm not going back,_ he told himself. _I'm not going back to those bastards. The teachers would just laugh at me for trying to survive on my own, and they would punish me for running away. Instead, I'll show everyone that I can make it, that I don't need anybody. I won't rely on anyone but myself._

In those nights, the little mutt would come scratching at the sheet metal that constituted the door to that cave. Goro would let him in, and he would hug the scrawny animal. They would keep each other warm, and as the dog licked his hand, Goro would fall asleep.

Suddenly, some voices grabbed his attention: Goro turned his head to the opposite bank of the stream...and blushed. Two girls from the Hokuto Temple were approaching the wooden bridge.

One of them was Asian like him; the other had European traits, with brown, wavy hair shaped into a ponytail, and big green eyes. Goro had learned her name by eavesdropping on their conversations: Theresa.

The two would often come to play at the wooden bridge. It was an abandoned bridge: nobody would risk walking on it, when there was a bigger, safer stone brigde just a mile down the stream. They would do silly things, like walking on the edges of the wooden handrail and jump from one handrail to another, showcasing their incredible acrobatic skills. Sometimes, they would spar, and Goro would stand in awe at their knowledge of martial arts.

 _If I knew martial arts, bullies would never have their way with me_ , he thought.

As they walked on the wooden bridge and started doing their usual stuff, Goro ignored them, and kept chewing on his boiled rice; even though they saw each other often, he had never spoken to them.

 _Besides, why would they want to talk to me?_ He thought, feeling a sting of pain in his heart.

Ever since he saw the green eyed beauty, he felt his heart had been stolen. He would violently blush everytime their eyes met. Theresa looked at him with curiosity, while the other one (Saya? Was that her name?) just stared at him with mistrust. One time, he had heard her call him _creep._

Lately, Goro's feelings had grown to be more than a mere ache of the soul. Theresa was around the same age as him, and he couldn't help but notice that her body was changing: the girl already exhibited a somewhat shapely body, two small breasts clearly visible on her chest. For the first time, Goro had experienced what an adult would call sexual drive. Of course, he wasn't so stupid to believe that his interest in her would ever be mutual.

 _What could she ever see in me? Look at ther: she's always wearing fresh clothes. She looks well fed, and clean. She can defend herself with martial arts, while I have to hide from a bunch of morons._

 _I don't even have any money: I only have my wooden box, and my tricks._

The buddhist monk had told him about the Temple: a place where a man could touch the sky with a finger, if only he had enough money in his pocket. Goro knew that the Mistress of the Temple was a prostitute, a woman able to use Hokuto Shinken to grant the greatest pleasure to her clients; he had mixed feelings at the thought that Theresa would eventually become a prostitute too.

Goro had asked the man if he had ever slept with the Mistress.

"I did" the monk had said, looking in the distance with a dreamy smile on his face "Only once, long ago. I had stolen some money from a tourist. She almost refused the money...but in the end, she decided to be with me. The best fuck of my life"

"Refused the money?" Goro had asked "Why?"

"Those women are like witches" the priest had explained "They can tell what kind of man you are just by looking at you. The Mistress said that, if I were just a bit more evil, she would have taken my life as payment instead of my money. Thankfully, I'm just a thief: I never murdered anyone. I mugged a few tourists in the past, but I never actually stabbed them to death. Hey, if you ever end up murdering anyone, don't ever go near that Temple, alright? You may not come back alive"

 _Who knows. Maybe, one day I'll have the money to…_

But that would never happen. He stared at the girls playing on the bridge with resentful eyes. Also, there was no rice left in the pot, and he still was hungry. His good mood was now totally spoiled.

The little mutt got closer, wagging his tail: it smelled the pot and put its muzzle into it, starting to lick it clean.

"Go away!" Goro uttered, slapping the dog on its head "I knew I shouldn't have fed you this much!"

* * *

The boy was coming back from another day at the village, with his precious wooden box under his arm. This time, he had no bag of rice.

 _Another day on an empty stomach._

There were small fishes swimming in the stream, but he had never been able to catch them. He would have probably ended up boiling some weed. Chewing on boiled weed wasn't pleasant, but it was better than nothing.

 _I should just hop on the first bus to a bigger town. Possibly, some place with tourists._

He knew that was the sensible thing to do: he had known since the buddhist monk had died. Still, a bigger city meant more police, and working institutions: he was afraid someone would force him to go back to the orphanage. And he couldn't stand that thought.

 _I guess sometimes I'm too stubborn for my own good._

Then, as he approached the shelter, he heard voices; he thought about the girls from the Temple, but they were nowhere to be seen. Instead, he felt a grip on fear on his stomach, when he recognized the voices of the boys who bullied him on a regular basis.

They were at the shelter, all five of them, and they were tossing his blanket into the stream. They also tossed his change of clothes into it.

"Hey!" he yelled, running to them "Stop!"

"Hey, look! It's the flea-ridden mutt!" exclaimed the oldest of them.

"We finally found your little den, you dirty animal!" another one said "Aren't you happy to see us?!"

"Go away!" Goro yelled, but he knew he couldn't scare them off: all five of them where bigger and stronger than him.

"I don't think he learned his lesson last time, guys" another thug said, getting closer to him "Here...give me that!"

He took the wooden box from under his arm; then, before Goro could react, he was emptying it into the stream. Cards and other trinkets got lost in the water.

"No, don't do that!" Goro growled, throwing himself at the him. The bully just smacked the wooden, heavy box in his face: Goro fell on his ass, blinded by pain, blood running from his nose. Then, all five of them jumped him, kicking him and stomping on him.

"We don't want you in town, you understand?!" one of them said, bringing his sneaker down on Goro's ribs. Then, they all dropped their pants and underwear and started to piss on him.

"Here, now that you took a shower, you're starting to smell a little better" they mocked him. Before leaving, one of them kicked the empty wooden box into the stream too.

* * *

Goro had been searching the stream, standing waist-deep into the water, but he hadn't been able to retrieve anything. He could only bath as good as he could, trying to shake the smell of piss off his body.

 _Next time I go to town, I should steal some soap._

He was burning with rage; but for some reason, he wasn't really angry at the bullies, but at himself: he had allowed them to toss the box in the stream, the only inheritance the monk had left him. As he thought about it, he didn't just feel angry, but also disheartened.

 _If only I knew Hokuto Shinken,_ _no-one would ever dare to fight me. I would show those thugs who's boss._

The mangy dog came scampering down the stream, wagging its tail at him.

"Yeah right" Goro said, with a sulky expression on his face "You only come for food. When those bastards were beating me up, you were nowhere to be found"

But he knew it was silly to resent the dog: even if it tried to protect him, what could have it done?

 _They would have killed it._

Then, Goro's attention was grabbed by a bird resting on the stream bank: a pigeon.

His eyes got wide with hunger and desire. Slowly, trying to not be loud, he picked up two pebbles from the ground. He had always tried to catch pigeons, but never really succeeded.

 _Take this!_

He threw the first pebble, but missed. The pigeon, scared off, was about to take flight.

 _Goddammit!_

He threw the second pebble with all of this strength, more out of desperation than with actual focus.

To his surprise, the pigeon fell to the earth, dead: he had broken its neck.

"I got it!"

Even though he was still smelling like piss, Goro was jumping for joy; he took the pigeon in his hands and raised it to the sky, almost refraining himself from dancing. The mutt noticed his good mood, and started to jump all around him, happily barking a few times.

"I got it, stupid dog!" Goro yelled " We are having _meat_ today!"

Then, he heard voices: the Hokuto girls were coming down to the stream, strolling along the path.

Suddenly, Goro felt his joy subside; he immediately felt hollow, and sad.

 _Even if I eat meat today, nothing will ever change,_ he thought. _I will never have what I really want. I will always feel unwanted, unworthy...and lonely._

Then, a sudden idea struck him. Maybe there was something he could do, that would make him feel better. The idea seemed so brilliant to him, he didn't waste anymore time thinking it over.

With a rumbling stomach and a dead pigeon in his hands, he approached the girls.

* * *

When he set foot on the wooden bridge, and the girls turned their heads to him, he felt like blushing.

He couldn't stand to look into Theresa's green eyes, and lowered his gaze instead.

"Yeah, do you want something?" the Asian one asked, in a cocky tone of voice.

"M-my name is Goro" he stutteted "And you...you are T-Theresa, right?"

The European girl was now looking at him with a furrowed brow.

"I am" she answered "What can I do for you?"

Goro raised his hands, handing the dead pigeon to her; fresh blood was still dripping from its opened beak.

"I brought this"

"Eww, gross!" Saya exclaimed.

"Why would you bring me something like that?" Theresa asked, trying her best to hide her disgust.

At this point, Goro was sure his face was as red as a tomato; he felt his ears burning.

"You girls are p-prostitutes, right?" he said "Please, take the pidgeon...and let me have sex with you"

Both girls put on a disgusted expression.

"Eww, that's _creepy_ " Saya uttered.

"Are you out of your mind?" Theresa asked, moving a step backwards.

"What? B-but I thought..."

"Now listen up, you flea-ridden creep" Saya said, stepping forward "We will be selling our bodies, according to the Law of our Fist. But we won't be doing that until we take our Mistress test, a few years from now. And we won't be selling our bodies for a freaking _pigeon!_ "

Goro's jaw dropped. He suddenly felt very stupid.

"But, it was so hard for me to catch this pigeon!" he said, looking at Theresa with pleading eyes "So please, accept it and..."

" _She doesn't want your disgusting pigeon!"_

Saya took the dead bird off his hands and tossed it off the bridge.

" _No!"_

Goro was so shocked by that, he almost jumped off the bridge himself, in a desperate attempt to retrieve the meat; he stopped at the last second: it was no use. The bird was already far away, quickly carried by the current.

"You shouldn't have done that" he growled, moving towards Saya and raising a hand to hit her.

The girl moved suprisingly quick, reaching his mouth with a high kick. Goro fell on his ass.

"You're lucky I'm still not allowed to use Hokuto Shinken outside of the Temple" Saya said, staring at him as he got up "Disgusting creep, approaching Theresa only for sex..."

Goro brought a hand to his mouth: his teeth were still intact, but his lips were busted. At that point, he felt rage completely getting the best of him.

" _A girl hitting a man!?"_ he uttered _"I'll show you…!"_

Before he could throw himself at Saya, Theresa stepped in. She pushed him back with incredible strength: Goro fell backwards again, letting out a moan of pain. But what hurt him most than anything, was the repulsed look in Theresa's eyes.

" _Stop!_ " she yelled "You're acting _insane!_ Go away, leave us alone!"

"B-but I live here..."

"Then, mind your own business, and don't talk to us ever again!" Saya said, staring at him with contempt and crossing her arms.

Goro lowered his gaze.

"O-okay..." he muttered. He slowly got up again, and walked away from them.

Before he was far enough, he heard Saya say:

"Don't worry Theresa. He won't bother us anymore"

* * *

The girls were gone. The sun had gone down too.

Goro was sitting in the shelter; his stomach was hurting with hunger.

 _Damn, if only I ate that pigeon…_

He was seething with anger. He couldn't shake Saya's words off his head.

" _Disgusting creep, approaching Theresa only for sex…"_

 _It wasn't about sex,_ he thought, bitterly.

He had asked for sex only because he thought she was a prostitute: he needed an excuse to be with her. Of course, Goro would have been very happy to kiss her...and do the other things the monk would sometimes joke about: the things that, in his words, would make a man _happy._ But in all honesty, Goro would have been content with just holding her...he needed to feel _wanted_ for once, even if it was just make believe. And instead, here he was: with an empty stomach and burning with rage. He had never felt so humiliated in his life: rejected, laughed at, beaten up. Even the bullies from before didn't compare.

 _Those bitches! How dare they do that to me!_

In that moment, the dog entered the cave. It was wagging its tail, and sniffing at the ground, looking for something to it.

"Go away, stupid dog" Goro hissed at him "I got nothing. That pigeon is long gone"

He threw a rock at the mutt; but the dog was too accustomed to that kind of abuse to interpret it as actual danger, and got closer instead.

Goro got up.

"I said GO AWAY!"

He kicked the mutt with all of his strength; the poor creature yelped in pain. Goro kept kicking it on the ribs, venting off all of his rage and frustration.

"I. Said. Go. Away. You stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Dog!"

He stopped when he heard the disturbing sound of the ribs breaking. Goro stood in shock, looking at the mutt; it was on the ground, lying on its side, barely breathing. Even though there was blood dripping from his mouth, he raised his head, and weakly wagged its tail.

Goro's eyes filled with tears; his rage was gone. Now, he only cared about the mutt.

He took it in his arms, and cowered on the ground.

"You are not a stupid dog" he sobbed "I'm the one who's stupid. Please, don't die"

The mutt weakly licked his hand.

When the sun rose, the dog was dead.

* * *

It was a cloudy morning. Rain was starting to fall.

Goro was staring at the pile of loose soil before him: he had buried the dog into the bank of the stream, right outside of his shelter. Having no tools at his disposal, he had used his bare hands instead: now, most of his fingers were bleeding.

He was feeling empty inside like never before.

He watched the stream swelling because of rain. Of course, the girls had not come to play in such a rainy weather.

 _It all happened because of them,_ he thought. _I hope they fall into the stream and drown._

And then, a sudden idea struck him: that he would kill those girls.

He hated them.

He hated their fresh clothes,their clean hair; he hated their well fed bodies, and their invincible martial arts. Most of all, he hated Theresa's eyes, which had made him feel weak, ashamed and alone.

 _Yes,_ he thought, as he clenched his fists. _I will kill them._

But how? Assaulting them with a rock in his hands would do no good. And besides, he didn't want to go to jail...even though, at this point he didn't really care.

Then, he looked at the stream getting bigger and more impetuous by the second, and an evil thought put a grin on his face.

He went to town; an hour later, he was back with a saw he had stolen, and a rope.

Then, with the unfaltering resolve of a murderer, he walked into the stream.

The bridge was supported by three wooden pillars. He reached the first one, closer to the bank, and tied the rope to it; then, it also tied his waist to it. He then moved towards the one in the middle, raging waters reaching up to his chest.

 _I must be quick, or else the current will blow me away._

He started to saw the pillar, following an oblique pattern; thankfully, the pillar wasn't very thick: the wooden bridge was already unsteady on its own. It took him less than half an hour to complete the job. Then, he abandoned the saw in the water, and struggled to come back, gripping the rope with both hands: water had now reached his chin, and was getting into his mouth and nostrils.

When he finally got out of the stream, he sat on the bank and laughed. Even though the middle pillar had been cut, there was no way to tell.

 _Tomorrow will probably be a sunny day,_ he thought, _but the water will still be very high! You tossed my pigeon into the stream: let's see how much YOU like taking a bath!_

* * *

It went exactly as predicted; now that the morning had come, the sun was shining, but the water level still hadn't gone down much. Goro decided it would be best to not stay at the shelter: he didn't want to be too close to the place of the incident. Instead, he sat on the bank, a few hundreds meters down the stream. From the distance, he saw the girls approach. They didn't seem too concerned about the raging waters beneath them. Instead, they started doing their usual acrobatic shit.

Then, a loud sound; encumbered with the weight of two young girls, the middle section of the bridge collapsed. Goro grinned, as he saw one of them fall into stream.

"Theresa!" yelled the other one, jumping down as well.

At that point, Goro's heart filled with excitement: he saw Theresa's body crash into a rock, right in the middle of the stream.

 _Yes!_ He rejoiced. _She hit her head! What good are your martial arts now, you bitch?!_

The girl named Saya was trying to reach her friend, but the body of Theresa, apparently lifeless, was quickly being carried away by the current; it ran aground in a spot where the water was shallow, a few meters away from Goro.

 _I've done it! I've killed her!_

Goro ran to her, immersing himself in water: he wanted to make sure she was dead. He grabbed her from beneath her armpits, and dragged her ashore. Only after laying her body on the ground, he realized she was still alive: her chest was faintly going up and down.

 _Goddamn it!_

Rage got the best of him.

He picked up a rock, and firmly held it in his right hand. He got closer to the unconscious girl, and towered over her.

 _I'll finish the job._

Then, he heard Saya's voice; she was standing in the middle of the stream, just a few meters from him.

" _Theresa! Is she alive!?"_ she asked, with panic in her voice.

Goro hid the rock behind his back.

"Yes" he muttered.

"Oh Gods, thanks!"

Saya got out of the stream, water dripping from her drenched clothes and hair. She knelt beside Theresa, who was slowly regaining consciousness; then, Saya stood up, facing Goro. For a moment, he thought she was going to attack him; instead, Saya grabbed both sides of his head, placed a kiss on his forehead, and then hugged him.

"You saved her!" she exclaimed "You saved her life!"

Goro let the rock fall from his hand.

"I guess I did..."

"Please, help me bring her to the Temple" Saya begged "I'm sure my Mistress will reward you!"

* * *

A few hours later, Goro was at the Temple, standing in front of Yasmine, the Mistress.

She was the most alluring woman he had ever laid his eyes upon; she was probably in her late thirties, but her body was as shapely as a twenty years old; she was wearing a white, elegant dress that left her legs and one of her shoulders uncovered, so tight that her large breasts almost seemed to be squeezed by it. Her hair, almost reaching down to her shoulders, were shaped in beautiful brown ringlets.

She also wore a couple of large ring earrings; despite her beauty, Goro somewhat lacked the courage to direclty stare into her eyes.

She was now looking at him, from her stone seat that resembled some kind of throne.

Another grown woman was in the room, dressed in long veils; as soon as she had seen Saya and Theresa drenched in water, she had severely scolded them, but in the end she had wrapped them in a warm embrace.

Goro had asked who she was.

"She's our mom" Saya had explained "Well, not literally. We are all orphans, here. But she adopted me and my four sisters. She's a nun here at the Temple. Shun there, instead, has been adopted directly by our Mistress"

The boy Saya had pointed at was a little older than Goro, and stared at him from the distance, with his arms crossed. Goro had seen him only once, when he came to the river to play with Saya, Theresa and another red-haired girl. Goro had instantly decided he didn't like him.

Now, the Mistress was about to speak.

"I get that your name is Goro, right? For saving my student's life, I shall be forever in your debt"

She had a strange expression on her face, like she didn't fully believe Goro could save one of her students.

"Please, boy: name your reward. I shall grant you anything that's in my power"

Goro deeply bowed his head: this also helped hide his grin. He knew exactly what to ask for.

"Yes. I humbly ask to be allowed into the Temple, and to be taught Hokuto Shinken"

Everybody in the room tensed up upon hearing the request; expecially the Mistress.

"What we commonly refer as Hokuto Shinken" she said "is a derived style instead: the Sinful Fist of the North Star. I should let you know that this Fist is traditionally passed down to women only"

"Well, he's not a woman, is he?" Goro said, pointing his finger at Shun, who narrowed his eyes.

The Mistress hesitated.

"You are right about that. I already broke the tradition once. But I should let you know, that acquiring this Fist is a path covered in spines. You won't be allowed to use it outside of the Temple until you pass a test, a trial that might even end up killing you. Even if you survive, you will become a prostitute serving this Temple: you will have to sell your body to anyone with a decent karma and a proper offering, man or woman. It's a dire fate"

 _Like hell I will!_ Goro thought, trying his best to hide his smirk. _Once I get strong, I will do as I please! No-one will humiliate me ever again!_

"I still humbly wish to become your student" he said.

"You're around twelve years old. It might be too late for you to properly learn our Fist. All of my students have been training since a much younger age"

"I do not care for that. I shall do my very best. Please, accept me!"

The Mistress stood silent for a moment.

"To be perfecly frank with you, I don't _want_ to teach you my Fist" she said.

"What!?" Goro exclaimed, unable to hide his rage "Why!?"

 _You know why,_ a voice inside him told him. _Nobody likes a flea-ridden boy…_

"Because, I sense _evil_ in you" Yasmine said "Your karma is already exceptionally rotten for your young age. I am afraid that I won't be able to eradicate evil from you, not even with years of teachings. So, how about this: as a reward for saving Theresa's life, we'll give you money. Enough money to feed yourself until adulthood. We'll also provide you with a place to stay. You can live here at the Temple with us: you'll have a warm bed, a roof on your head, and you will never go hungry again. So, how does that sound?"

 _Bullshit,_ Goro thought. _She just doesn't want to teach her secrets to an outsider. But I'll show her…_

"I humbly refuse. My only wish is to learn Hokuto Shinken"

Yasmine furrowed her brow. She stood silent again. Then:

"One last offer" she said "We'll give you money...a place to stay...and you can have my body"

Everybody in the room flinched: the nun, Theresa, Saya, Shun.

"Mistress!" Saya uttered.

"Silence, Saya. It's an appropriate reward"

Yasmine smiled at Goro.

"I can sense your lust, boy. You are very young: but according to our Law, one reaches manhood in the very moment he's able to have kids. You are already going through puberty, and thus, you are an adult to me. My body is very expensive; more than that, I usually don't lay with men with a karma as rotten as yours. So, what do you say? This may be a once in a lifetime deal"

Goro was almost drooling at the idea of laying with a woman like that. Hell, he had never even _kissed_ a girl.

 _Don't fall for it, you fool!_ He reprimanded himself. _Don't you see to what lenghts she's willing to go, to not let an outsider into her secrets? You should be offended instead! Forget about her: once you have learned Hokuto Shinken, you'll have all the girls you want!_

Goro bowed his head even lower.

"Once again, I humbly refuse. Please, accept me as your student"

Yasmine seductive smile died on her face.

"Very well" she said "Then, your training will start tomorrow at dawn. Keep in mind that your life as my student won't be as easy as if you were a mere guest of this Temple: I'll have you know I'm quite the demanding teacher. Now, you shall receive some new clothes. We are having supper in an hour"

Having said that, she got up from her stone seat and walked away.

 _Yes! I did it!_ Goro exulted. _Now, no-one will have his way with me ever again! Everything I want, I shall obtain it!_

The other boy, Shun, approached him.

"What do you want?" Goro coldy greeted him.

Shun had a mistrustful look on his face, but still stretched out his hand.

"I wanted to thank you" he said "For saving Theresa"

Goro unenthusiastically shook his hand.

"Yeah, whatever" he muttered.

Then, Theresa cheerfully grabbed his arm, dragging him along a dark hallway.

"Goro, come with me" she said, giving him a warm smile "I misjudged you. Please, allow me to atone for how I treated you the other day. We still have an hour before supper: I'll show you around"

"Y-yes" the boy said, blushing.

As the girl led him along the corridor, he felt strangely happy: a happiness clouded by a deep feeling of shame and guilt.


	25. Chapter 25: Flea-Ridden Boy, second act

199X

Goro is 14.

He is sitting right beside Theresa; he leans over, and kisses her. She answers the kiss.

"Relax" he says "You're so tense"

"I know, I'm sorry"

Theresa's eyes are clouded with concern.

"I was just thinking...Shun and Saya shouldn't be away from the Temple at times like this. Do you think...war will really break out?"

 _Of course it will._

After all, men could only solve things through violence. Hell, they didn't even need a _reason_ to use violence: they would often use it just 'cause they felt like it. But Goro wouldn't say that to Theresa.

"Who knows. Anyway, Shun and Saya can take care of themselves"

He kisses her again. Her hand moves up his tight.

"What's this?" she asks "You have something in your pocket"

"Oh, this?"

He pulls a deck of tarot cards out of his pants.

"I used to have a deck like this" he explains "I used these cards all the time, when I was living out in the streets...you know, telling fortune to passers-by. But...I lost it long ago. So, I thought I would buy a new one"

He hasn't actually bought it though: he has stolen it.

 _Why would I spend money on something I can easily get for free?_

He sees guilt in Theresa's eyes.

"Back then" she whispers "If only we had an idea of what you were going through, we would have..."

"No, you wouldn't have"

Theresa furrows her brow. Before she can speak, Goro shakes his head.

"I'm not blaming you, alright? It's just that people don't help each other out like that. How many passers-by could have called the police, seeing a young boy panhandling in the streets? They could have made sure I was looked after. But they didn't: it was none of their business, so they didn't care"

Theresa opens her mouth to reply something, but Goro stops her.

"Enough with the boring stuff. Here, I'll tell you fortune".

He picks a tarot card from the deck.

 _Hardships ahead, uh?_

"So, what does that mean?" she cheerfully asks.

"It means...you'll live a long life. And you'll be rich"

"Sounds good!"

They laugh. Then, Theresa picks up a card too.

"I'll pick one for you. Umh...what's this?"

She shows it to him. Goro's eyes narrow.

 _Death._

Before he can say anything, Mai bursts into the room. She's usually so composed, but right now she looks tense and agitated.

"Theresa, Goro" she says "Japan has been attacked. Several cities have been flooded with nerve gas. Nuclear warheads may be launched at any moment"

"What about Shun and Saya!?" Theresa's exclaims.

"We don't know. We can only pray they come back to the Temple safe and sound"

Even Goro is shaken by the news.

Still looking at Mai, Theresa reaches out for his hand. Goro holds tight to it.

* * *

 _Three months later._

Theresa is standing at the window, looking into the distance. The world is now a wasteland; black clouds hover above it.

Goro approaches her from behind; he tries to put his arms around her waist.

"Don't" she says.

Goro doesn't even try to hide his disappointment.

"You're still grieving, uh?"

It has been two weeks since the nun that had adopted Theresa and her sisters died, poisoned by radioactive water. Since then, she has grown distant from him.

"It's not just that. It's...I can't shake it off, this feeling of _doom._ Look out there: Japan is gone. There's no government, no police, no law...people are killing each other for food and water. Will we ever recover from this? Will things ever be the same as before?"

Goro looks into the distance, staring at the barren land with indifference.

"Has anything really changed at all?" he asks.

Theresa quickly turns to look at him.

"What do you mean!?"

"People were already killing each other before the war broke out. They did it for money. They killed, stole, hurt and betrayed: that's what people do. Some people didn't because...well, they were afraid of consequences. But now, there's no police to be afraid of; no army to come to town and bring order. The world has finally revealed its true face: a place where only the strong survive. I see nothing wrong with that"

Theresa is shaken by his words.

"How?" she asks "How can you say things like these?"

Goro eyes grow sadder, as they stare into the distance.

"I don't know" he replies "Sometimes, I feel like I've been living in a wasteland my entire life"

They stand next to each other for a few more seconds; then, he tries to hug her again.

Theresa pushes him away.

* * *

 _A year and a half later_

" _ATA!"_

Goro is pushed back by the strength of the impact; he falls to the floor, letting out a moan of pain.

He looks up at Saya, who's towering over him as she catches her breath.

"Ah, getting beaten up by a girl" Roxanne mocks him, standing a few feet away from them "How pathetic!"

"Roxanne, enough!" Saya scolds her sister "It's only natural that Goro still hasn't catch up with us: we've been training for all of our lives, after all"

Then, she looks at him.

"I think it's enough for today" she says.

"Fuck it! I'm not done yet!" Goro growls as he gets back on his feet.

"If this keeps up, you only end up getting hurt more"

Saya turns her back on him.

"We'll do this again when you're ready, ok? You still need more training"

" _The hell I do!"_

Goro jumps at her, trying to hit her from behind.

Saya reacts by instinct; her elbow sinks in Goro's mouth, knocking him down.

Goro brings a hand to his lips: they are split. Blood runs through his fingers.

 _Exactly like that time at the bridge…_

Saya is staring at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Why do you act like this?!" she yells at him "You are always so aggressive and resentful! It's like, we aren't even a _family_ to you!"

"A family?"

Goro chuckles.

"Don't make me laugh. If I hadn't saved Theresa's life, you would have left me in that shelter, to starve to death. The buddhist monk that took me in...he was a thief, and a drunkard, but he still was a better person than all of you"

As Saya silently stares at him, too shaken to reply, Goro gets up and walks away.

"Don't feel bad about him" he hears Roxanne say "Little rascal, attacking you from behind...he got was he deserved"

* * *

Goro is swinging at the wooden mannequin with everything he's got. His fists leaves dents in the wood, but his hands are hurt in return.

 _Damn it all!,_ he thinks, as he pushes through the pain. _This isn't enough! I need more! More power!_

"Can I ask you something?"

Goro flinches upon hearing the voice behind him. He turns around to face Shun. Now that he's close to 18, Shun looks like a handsome, athletic man; Goro, instead, still looks like a scrawny boy.

"What's with you and _strength?_ " Shun asks "You are obsessed with it. Not every man is born with the same talent: even if you train for another twenty years, chances are you will always be behind the rest of us. But what's wrong with that? As long as you stay humble and fight with honour, you will always have the dignity of a martial artist"

Goro rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, right. Listen up: I'm not going to stay in this shitty place forever. As soon as I'm ready, I'll take the test, and leave the Temple. Then, I will get whatever I want with my strength. I could care less about _honour_ and _dignity_. You can't eat those"

Shun crosses his arms.

"You won't be allowed to do that" he says "Using your strength for your own goals is against the Law of our Fist"

Goro grins. It's an evil grin: for the first time, even Shun feels a shiver going up his spine.

"Yeah, right. You're the one to talk about the Laws of our Fist...you _murderer_ "

Shun freezes. His eyes narrow.

"How do you…?"

"Oh, I know all about your little secret. I eavesdropped a conversation between Saya and Theresa. Saya thought she could get _intimate_ with you, now that she's passed the test. But you just couldn't _fuck_ her, could you?"

Shun moves quickly, too quickly for Goro to react. He grabs him by his throat and lifts him from the ground. Goro tries to free himself, to no avail.

"You're talking about things you don't understand" Shun growls.

"What I _do_ understand, is that you broke the Law of the Fist" Goro replies, with an arrogant smile on his face "You killed your first client! A crime punishable by death! And not only you were forgiven...you were even allowed to not sell your body to anyone anymore. Hell, even your girlfriend is about to sell her body, and you don't! Poor Shun, so _scarred_ by his Mistress' test, he can't uphold his sacred duties! But it's ok, because you're "perfect" Shun, loved by all! So go on, beat me up if you want: I'm sure they'll forgive you for that too! Everyone loves you, even though you're just a _murderer!_ "

Shun stares at him, silently. He's still holding Goro by his throat, but he doesn't dare to hit him.

"Mhm, well look at you" Goro comments "Let alone denying it...you don't even _regret_ it"

Shun lets him go; Goro falls to his knees, then slowly gets back up.

"Well, it's not like I judge you for that" he goes on "I would have done the same thing too. I would _never_ allow a disgusting old man to touch me...and neither should you. Someone as powerful as you should be able to choose his own fate"

Shun takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes for a few seconds, in an attempt to calm down.

"You are right about that, Goro. In fact, I'm leaving this Temple"

Goro's eyes widen. He's not expecting something like that, not from Shun.

"What?!"

"There are people, out there, in need of my help. Kenshiro-dono has been traveling the wastelands, eradicating evil from Earth. He has defeated Shin, King of Southern Cross, and the Mistress thinks he will end up facing Ken-oh as well. Kenshiro inspired me to do the same: I can't just sit here, when my strength can be put to good use"

"Uh, typical Shun-like bullshit" Goro snarls " Well, go ahead then. You can go die in some God's forsaken place for all I care. I'm not giving you a goodbye kiss"

Shun sighs, and turns his back on him.

"I'm leaving this place unprotected. Of course, you guys still have the Mistress...but you still need to look after each other. Please, Goro...protect Saya and the others for me. I'm sure they will do the same for you"

He moves a few steps, walking away from him.

"Wait a second" Goro utters.

Shun stops.

"You ask me to protect Saya...shouldn't you be the one to do that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, she passed the test. And even if the world has ended, clients are still coming to the Temple, offering food in exchange for sex. Are you really okay with her selling off her body? If she were my woman, I would _never_ allow that. If I still..."

 _If I still were with Theresa, I would protect her,_ he thinks, as he feels a sting of pain in his heart.

"Now listen up, Shun" he goes on "Do something _sensible_ in your entire, petty life: take Saya with you. Take her away from this shitty place, and never come back"

Shun still has his back to him. Goro sees him clenching his fists, as if facing some inner struggle.

Then, without a single word, Shun walks away.

* * *

Goro is at the window.

Shun is in front of the Temple, saying goodbye to everybody. He and Theresa hug; Theresa has never hugged Goro like that.

Then, Shun turns his head to Saya.

"I got something for you" he says.

Then, he hands a blue flower to her.

"A _cornflower!_ " she exclaims "But, where…?"

"The Devil's Twin Peaks" he explains "Flowers are growing back. And if flowers are growing, then crops can grow too. That means, there's still hope for mankind. This flower is a symbol of hope. So, I thought you should have it".

Saya has watery eyes.

"Be safe out there" she whispers "And come back soon"

"I will"

They kiss.

Goro averts his gaze, overcome with envy and frustration. As he stares at Theresa, his nails sink into his palms.


	26. Chapter 26: Flea-Ridden Boy, third act

_200X, 10 years after the nuclear holocaust_

Roxanne, Theresa, Olga and Mai were standing in the great hall of the Temple; Mai had a sheet of paper in her hands, with a list of names written on it.

"We got a lot of people today" she said "Seven of them specifically asked for Olga. Four asked for Theresa"

Theresa nodded, with a serious expression on her face.

"Three clients want Roxanne. Oh, one of them is Chiuichi-san"

A sadistic light appeared in Roxanne's eyes: Chiuichi was one of her regulars, a self-proclaimed masochist.

"Alright, I'm having some fun today!" she exclaimed, cracking her knuckles "Last time I saw him, I forbade him to masturbate until our next meeting. I'm going to find out if he did right away. And if he did...spoilers, he most certainly did...this time I'm going to really lead him to believe that I'll let his head explode. I'm going to tell him that he _offended the Heavens_ , or some bullshit like that. Let's hear him beg for his life with a swollen up tongue!"

"Don't go overboard, Roxie-chan" Mai reprimanded her, with a forgiving smile.

"Whaat, it's that foul's fault if I go a little overboard! He claimed he was ok with _anything_ I did to him, and even refused to pick a safe word! So, as long as I don't do _permanent damage_ , everything is fair game!"

"Fair enough" Mai went on "Then, there's six men left. I'll take three of them...oh, this one also wrote _masochist_ in his preferences" a big smile appeared on her face "I call dibs! Saya can take the rest"

"Speaking of Saya...where is she?" Theresa asked.

"Oh, she will be a little late for work" Mai explained "She has a certain...business to attend to"

* * *

Goro was standing in front of the truck, in the outskirts of town.

Now that he was close to 24, he didn't look like a scrawny boy anymore; he was tall, although not as tall as Shun, and had a pretty built up physique. He was now wearing a leather jacket that left his arms exposed, leather gloves and boots, and his long brown hair was slicked back.

 _After all, a businessman has to care about his appearance,_ he thought with a grin, as the other man finished loading the truck.

"Well done, Goro" he said "Very well done. You and your men gathered lots of food from this town. Selling this at a tremendously higher price in the poorest villages will be easy"

"Eh, the townsfolk needed some convincing" Goro said "but I can be very persuasive. Now, no funny business. Pay up what we agreed upon...I don't need to remind you that I'm a Master of Hokuto Shinken, do I?"

"Aah, but of course" the smuggler said, even though he didn't look too impressed "I'll give you your money right away. It's very fortunate that people in these lands started to produce coins: they come in very handy"

" _A Master of Hokuto Shinken?!"_ a female voice said _"Don't make me laugh!"_

Goro and his accomplice looked up; Saya was standing on the top of the truck.

"Up there?" the smuggler uttered "But how?"

Saya looked at him with contempt.

"What I mastered is an Assassin's Fist. Sneaking up on guys like you is no problem at all"

She jumped down, landing next to Goro; before he could do anything, she pressed a point on his right arm; tremendous pain spread from that point to all of his body, forcing him on his knees.

Then, Saya turned her head to the smuggler: he had unsheathed a knife.

"Big mistake, young lady" he said "I ain't afraid of some martial arts. And I'll have you know I take my business _very_ seriously"

"I can see that" Saya replied "You have the karma of a murderer"

"DIE!"  
The man charged at her; then, he stopped. He froze on the spot like a statue, his knife still raised: Saya had the tip on her index finger placed in the middle of his forehead.

"W-what did you do?!" he exclaimed "I can't move!"

"You must be a very ignorant fool. Don't you know, that _Hokuto Shinken_ is the martial art that Kenshiro uses?"

"Kenshiro?!" the smuggler repeated, growing much paler "The man who defeated Ken-Oh?!"

"That's right. I' ve struck the pressure point known as Gakuchu. When I remove my finger, you'll only have three seconds left to live. Your head is going to explode"

"N-no way!"

"Should I remove my finger now?"

"W-wait, please!" the man started to cry "Have mercy! Spare my life!"

"Mmh, I don't think I should" Saya said, feigning doubt "You tried to kill me just now. And you have killed before. I don't think I can spare a guy like you. Say your final prayers"

"No, please!" the man sobbed even harder "I'm begging you! I'll change! I swear to you, I won't hurt anyone ever again! Please, believe me!"

"Mhm…...alright"

She removed her finger. The man tottered backwards with a terrified expression, grabbing his head with both hands: but nothing happened.

"Now go" she growled, looking at him with bloodshot eyes "And leave the truck here: the food will return to the people of this vilage"

The man didn't need her to repeat herself: he just ran away barefoot, as fast as he could.

"What a pathetic display" Goro commented, getting back up: the pain in his arm had subsided."You weren't really going to kill that man. I can see it in your eyes: you don't have what it takes to _kill_ "

"Oh yeah!?" Saya yelled at him "Do you think killing is so cool, uh? You think killing will make you a gangster or something? I _pray_ I'll never have to kill anyone in my life!"

"If you really wanted to prevent that man from committing crimes, you should have taken his life, simple as that" Goro replied "He will be back to his dirty business soon enough. People don't change"

"Well, maybe I should kill _you!_ " she said, grabbing him by his jacket "What do you think you are doing, uh?! Acting like a bully in town with those thugs you call friends, stealing food from honest and hard-working people?! You're very fortunate you haven't killed anyone yet, or the Mistress would have taken _your_ life!"

 _She would have tried_ , Goro arrogantly thought.

"How did you find out about me?"

"A client said something to Olga. We went to town and asked some question, simple as that"

 _That blonde dimwit snitched on me!_

"We told nothing to the Mistress yet" Saya explained "Don't you understand why we stopped you? We _care_ about you! You're walking down a dangerous path...your karma gets more rotten by the day...Goro, we don't want you to _die!_ "

Goro put on a bitter smile.

"Look at you, Saya. You have to be such a hypocrite"

" _What?!"_

"Roxanne at least is honest to me. She mocks me, insults me, threatens me. She doesn't like me, she never has and she never will. But you...you have to _pretend_ , don't you?"

Saya rage exploded.

"What is wrong with you?! Why can't you ever believe that anyone would care for you?! If you got so much pent up aggression towards me, then let's do it! _Let's fight!_ "

She gave him a shove.

" _You bitch!"_

Goro punched her in the face; she made no attempt to dodge or to protect herself. She didn't fight back: instead, she just stared at him with sadness in her eyes, as she brought her hand to her mouth: her lips were split.

"There" she said "You hit me. Feel better now?"

Goro clenched his fists, seething with anger.

 _Your pity is only making it worse!_

He spat on the ground.

"Tsk. Let go back to the Temple"

* * *

Goro bumped into Theresa in the hallway; he grabbed her arm.

"Not now" she said "I'm in the middle of my working shift"

"You have time for those perverted old men, and not for me?"

"I thought you were busy yourself. You know... _committing crimes_ in the village, with those thugs you call friends"

Goro looked at her with a strange expression; he was embarassed...sad...and also, dead serious.

"Maybe I don't need those friends. Maybe I don't need to do any business. Maybe, the only thing I need is you"

"Goro, please!" she exclaimed, freeing herself from his grab "We had this argument a hundred times already! I don't feel the way you do! We didn't even have that much of a relationship...we just kissed a few times a long time ago, when we were kids!"

Goro lowered his gaze.

"Back then...when your mother died" he muttered "I tried to hug you, to kiss you, and you pushed me away. So, I stopped spending time with you. But I see now why you would do that: I was supposed to confort you... instead, I made it about myself. If I just stood by your side without asking for anything in return...things would be different now, wouldn' they?"

Theresa sighed, with a sincere look of compassion in her eyes.

"Goro...you are very sweet, but I can't _know_ that. Maybe things would be different, maybe they wouldn't. What matters now, is that I don't feel the same as you do, and nothing will change that. Thinking about the past will only harm you. Please Goro...you have to move on. I care for you. Even if you're such a troublemaker...I can't stand to see you unhappy"

She caressed his face.

Then, she turned her back on him, reaching the end of the hallway: a client was waiting for her, a dirty man in his fifties. Theresa bowed to him, grabbed his hand and led him to her room.

Goro punched the wall, his hand sinking into stone like it were butter.

* * *

It was night already.

Goro was sitting on a wooden plank outside of the Temple, a hundred feet away from the entrance. He had a bottle of wine in his hand, almost empty now. He sighed, looking at the stars above him.

 _Fuck it, I'm drunk. And yet, I don't feel any better._

Then, he heard footsteps; Shun was coming back from his outdoor training session.

When he had left the temple, more than 8 years before, his figure was slim; now, he had developed a pretty built up physique.

"Still training in secret" Goro said "I wonder what the great Shun has to hide from us"

"You're still drinking instead" Shun said, but he was smiling "Care to share some?"

Goro hesitated; normally, he would just tell Shun to fuck off.

 _Ah, whatever._

"Be my guest"

As Shun sat right next to him, Goro handed the bottle to him. Shun took a sip of wine before speaking.

"From the look of it, you had another big fight with one of the girls. I'm betting my money on Theresa. Although, it's not like Saya can't break your balls when she wants to"

"She certainly can"

"They do care for you, you know. All of them"

"They sure do" Goro said, but he had a sarcastic smile on his face.

"And you? Do you care for them at all?"

Goro lowered his gaze, with sorrow in his eyes.

"I...don't know. I often find myself hating them...can't stand them. A part of me wants to accept them as my family...but I just can't. Maybe Saya is right: there _is_ something wrong with me. Anyway, I guess I still have to find my place in the world. I wished I could call this Temple home...but maybe, it just wasn't meant to be"

"That's a pity" Shun commented, taking another sip of wine.

"What about you?" Goro asked, with an evil grin "Do you really love them as you claim to?"

Shun tensed up; his eyes narrowed.

"What do you…?"

"Oh, don't play dumb" Goro said "I can see it in the way you talk to them, in the way you smile. Your smiles are _fake_. You have been hiding something from them...they can't see it, but I can. You changed. The truth is...you have something in mind...something you feel _guilty_ about...but you are still willing to carry on with it"

Shun didn't say anything, but his lips slightly curved into a smile: he probably didn't think Goro would be _that_ perceptive.

"If you ask me, that's one big improvement" Goro went on "Eight years ago you were a good for nothing: old goodie two-shoes Shun. Now, I see some _drive_ in your eyes. You finally plan on using your strength to get something you want. Wonder what made you change, though. Was it your journey through the wastelands? When you came back, you looked _scared_. You, of all people"

Shun sighed.

"I took my decision based on the experience of that journey. But me being scared has nothing to do with it. Rather...it made me realize I didn't have what it took to be out there. I didn't have the tools to accomplish my goals"

Goro was feeling sleepy, but his interest had been rekindled.

"What did you see out there?"

"You mean, aside from people killing each other? _Power"_ Shun said "I have witnessed true power. A power great enough to change this world. When I was 18, I felt so strong: I was at least as skilled as our Mistress...in my mind, that was the pinnacle of Hokuto Shinken...but if I look back to my past self, I was just pathetic"

"Have you obtained it now? That kind of power?"

Shun stared at his right hand; he opened and closed his fingers, slowly.

"I most certainly have"

Goro grinned.

"Well, I praise you for that. But as much as I like this new version of yourself...there's one thing you did wrong. A big mistake"

"And that is?"

"You pushed Saya away"

Shun turned his head to look at him, taken aback by his words.

"What you had with Saya...that was _special_ " Goro said "When a man finds something like that, he doesn't let go of it. He clings to it with his teeth. Instead, you just threw it to the wind"

Shun stared at him for a couple of seconds, in silence; then, he chuckled.

"Oh, Goro" he sighed "A man like you would never understand. You cling to relationships like a stray dog would cling to a piece of meat; you only think of your needs, your _hunger_. Now that I think about it, since the moment we took you in as a starving boy, you never stopped being _hungry._

That's why, someone like you would never understand: what it means to push the people you love away, in order to protect them..."

In that moment, a man got out from the Temple, walking down the path to the village. Goro recognized him: it was the one who slept with Theresa.

A great, uncontrollable anger got the best of him; he got up from the wooden plank.

"Wait" Shun said, grabbing his arm "I can't let you hurt that man"

"I'm not hurting that man" Goro said, shaking Shun's hand off him "I'm going to bed. I had enough of our lovely date under the stars"

* * *

Theresa was in her room; she had just taken a bath.

She wrapped herself in a nightgown; her long, wavy hair, still moist, fell back on her shoulders.

 _Well, time to have some sleep, finally…_

Then, she felt a presence right behind the door; a rotten, familiar karma. A second later, Goro burst into the room, closing the door behind him.

"You..."

Goro got closer; he reeked of alcohol. He had a crazed look in his eyes: she could see lust...but also a deep, almost feverish desperation.

"What are..."

He grabbed her nightgown and tore it apart; he pushed her on the bed, using superhuman strength, and stood on top of her.

" _Goro, no!"_ she yelled, but he put a hand over her mouth.

"Why not?"

He looked like he was on the verge of crying.

"You are able to lay with those lecherous old men, and not with me? Why? Can't you see how much I need you?"

He grabbed one of her breasts, and squeezed it. Then, he brought his mouth to it, and began to stroke the nipple with his tongue.

"Please" he whispered "I need this..."

Theresa raised her leg, putting some distance between her body and Goro's; then, she extended it, with superhuman strength. Goro flew across the room, landing on the wall. He slided down with a moan of pain, until he found himself on the floor. When he looked up, Theresa was towering over him. The look in her eyes sent a shiver of pure fear up his spine.

"Theresa, I..."

"Go away"

Her eyes were like blades of ice, piercing his heart. She had never gave him such a cold gaze...but even worse, beneath that threatening look, he could see how much in pain she actually was.

"I won't tell anyone what just happened here" she went on, with a hoarse voice "Not to the Mistress, not to my sisters: they would kill you. But you won't get near me ever again. You won't touch me, you won't speak to me, you won't even look at me...or else, I'm telling"

"Theresa, wait, please..." Goro begged.

"Shut your mouth and get out" she hissed "You are dead to me"

Goro lowered his gaze and slowly got up; he left the room, burning with rage, self-loathing and frustration.

* * *

The room was dark, only dimly lit by the moonlight.

The Mistress, Yasmine, had her back turned to him; she was also wearing a nightgown, like Theresa. Goro stared at her curves, and his lust rekindled.

"I can feel you there, you know" she said "What do you want at such a late hour?"

He walked in.

"I want what's mine by right" he said "I want to take the test"

Yasmine turned her head and looked at him, with narrowed eyes.

"The test? I never thought you would be so eager to take on your sacred duties" she mocked him.

"I just decided to leave this place. But if I don't take the test first, I won't be allowed to use my Fist out of the Temple. So, you will just hunt me down, won't you? Not that I am afraid of you...I know I can take you on...but I'd rather fuck you right now, as the Law of the Fist requires, and be done with it"

The Mistress put a stern expression on, upon hearing such disrespectful words; but she decided to ignore them for the moment.

"You know you can't use your Fist for your personal gain" she said "Even if you pass the test...if you use it to hurt innocent people, we'll hunt you down all the same"

"Yeah, whatever. It's still my right to take the test. After that, if the way I use my Fist displeases you, you can bring the _judgement of the Heavens_ upon me"

 _That is, if you find out,_ he thought. _Because I'm planning of going as far away from this Temple as I can._

Even in that dim light, Goro could see compassion in his Mistress' eyes.

"Goro, go to bed" she said "You seem shaken by something that just happened, and you reek of alcohol. We'll talk about this in the morning"

"Cut the crap, and let's get it over with" he replied, moving a step forward.

She raised her chin and thrust her chest out, in a fiery and dignified pose.

"Truth is, Goro, I don't _want_ you to take the test"

"What?! Why? All the others have taken it years ago! I'm 24, goddammit!"

"Because you are not ready. You lack ki control on your body. You still have a few years of training ahead of you. Who knows, maybe spending a few more years here will make you wiser...even though I've nearly lost all hopes on you: your karma is almost as rotten as that of a common raider…"

Anger got the best of Goro.

 _Yeah, right_ , he thought. _This is exactly the same as twelve years ago, when she didn't want to admit me into the Temple. She won't give me her permission to use the Fist, because she prefers her other students over me!_

He chuckled.

"Well, what a surprise. You are the second woman tonight that doesn't want me in her bed. But you know what..."

He stepped even closer. He was taller than Yasmine, and his muscular frame certainly made him look more imposing.

"...fuck your stupid rules. I'll take what I want from now on. And I think I will not leave this Temple, until I've fucked you senseless"

His hand closed around her throat; he violently pushed her on the bed, and began to tear her nightgown apart; as he exposed her huge breasts, which he had dreamed of since he was a boy, he started to drool.

The Mistress looked into his eyes. There was no sign of fear in her; instead, for a instant, Goro couldn't help but feel at least a little bit creeped out: it was like staring into a deep void, into the dark depths of the ocean. It was like staring at Death herself.

Then, she smiled. That terrifying look in her eyes disappeared. She wrapped her legs around his waist

"Yes" Goro grinned "You finally understood who's in charge, you dumb cow"

He sucked on her breasts, while violently groping them with his hands.

"Come" she invited him, slightly lifting her hips up from the bed, pressing against his manhood "Come inside me"

Goro could hardly wait any longer. He rammed himself inside her.

"Yes" she moaned, as Goro thrust into her at feverish pace "Go on..."

Then, her legs squeezed his waist much tigher, so tight he could barely breath; her hands, who had reached behind his back, both struck pressure points right below his shoulder blades.

"What..."

A sudden pleasure spread to all of his body, making him drool even more.

"What...what's this..." he groaned.

"This is what you asked for" she whispered, in a warm, sexy voice "This is the _test_. The 1600 years old trial that the concubines of the Tentei had to survive, if they wanted to inherit the Sinful Fist. You will have sex with me, your Mistress, as I inject small doses of ki in your pressure points; you must focus, and regulate the flow of ki in your body through breathing techniques. You must fight the lust back, even as you lay with me. If you lose your focus...you'll die"

 _Fuck!_ He thought. Even scared as he was, he couldn't help but keep thrusting his manhood into her.

She grabbed both sides of his head, and kissed him. He felt his tongue go numb, as she injected even more deadly ki into his body.

 _Stop! Is this not enough already?!_

Then, he felt a sudden pain in the right side of his head; it was like a thousand needles piercing his flesh. He felt his own skull bones crack, as his temple and forehead started to bloat, covered in throbbing veins.

" _Oh Gods, no!"_ he screamed, his eyes filling with tears.

"What's wrong?" Yasmine teased him "You must control yourself. The moment you climax, your head will explode"

He tried his best to control his breathing, tried to balance the ki flow in his body; but he just wasn't good enough. So, he panicked: he tried to get away from her.

But Yasmine had no intention of letting him go; her legs were like pincers of steel, holding tight to him. He felt like an insect caught in the unescapable grasp of a praying mantis. Yasmine smiled at him, mercilessly.

"DIE, YOU BITCH!" he screamed, poking her chest with his fingers, right between her breasts; nothing happened.

 _What? But I'm sure I hit her pressure points…_

"It's no use" she explained "I already impaired the flow of ki in your body, momentarily taking your Fist away from you. After all, that is the tradition: a student who fails the test is doomed to die, so it's only natural to prevent him from cowardly escaping his fate through violence"

She raised her head from the bed, getting closer to him.

"You know" she whispered "When my other students took the test, I made sure that, even if they failed, they would not die. But you...you have such a rotten karma...so, why should I bother with letting you live?"

The pain was now unbearable. Goro wanted to get out of her, but couldn't stop his lower half movements; more than that, Yasmine accompanied each movement with her hips, dooming him.

"Farewell, Goro. Despite what you may think, I never hated you"

" _Noo, please!"_ he begged _"Mistress, please! Don't kill me!"_

Tears of pain and fear were streaming down his face, dripping on Yasmine's face and breasts.

" _I don't want to die! Please, I was wrong! I am one of your students, am I not? Please Mistress, have mercy!"_

One of Yasmine fingers suddenly pressed a point on his back. His lower half's thrusting movements stopped, and lust started to subside. She spread her legs, releasing him. Then, she sat on the bed and pushed him away; Goro fell on the floor, heavily landing on his ass. He immediately brought his hands to his head: a screech of horror came out his mouth, as he realized how deformed it was.

But the worst part was the _pain_ : it was so intense it was driving him crazy.

 _It will subside now,_ he thought, _It MUST subside._

But it didn't: long seconds passed, and the pain kept being just as intense.

The Mistress had gotten up from the bed. Completely naked, she was staring down at him with a stern expression.

"Goro" she said "You are hereby banned from this Temple. Since you tried to rape me, I should kill you. At the very least, I should be sealing your Fist. After all, now you are like a wounded animal, more dangerous than ever"

Then, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"But, I won't do that. You will be in pain for the rest of your life...and you will need your Fist to at least ease that pain a little bit everyday. I won't take that source of relief from you: consider it my final act of mercy, and my final reward for saving Theresa's life long ago"

Having said that, a fiery, merciless look reappeared on her face.

"This will be the extent of my compassion. If you ever set foot into this Temple again, I will personally take your life. Now, begone! You scum of the Earth!"

* * *

Shun, the Mistress and the girls had gathered in the great hall of the Temple, with gloomy expressions on their faces. Theresa had her eyes lowered.

"I know you all are very shaken, considering what happened with Goro. But there's another problem we have to deal with"

She had a grave look on her face.

"One of our clients has just run here all the way from the village. A band of raiders has occupied it: they have killed a few people, and are now forcing the others to give up all of their food. I must go down there and deal with them. Don't lower your guard while I'm gone"

All of the girls nodded; Shun, instead, closed his eyes and took a deep breath, like facing some inner struggle.

"No" he finally said "Leave this to me, Mistress. I shall handle them"

Yasmine eyes narrowed with perplexity.

"Are you sure about this? I'm not doubting your strength, far from it. But this is a dirty business..."

"I've killed bandits before, as I wandered through the wastelands, years ago" Shun said "Don't worry, Mistress. I'll handle it"

* * *

"It's been almost a full day already" Olga said "How come Shun doesn't come back? Could have something happened to him?"

"No way!" Roxanne uttered "This is Shun we are talking about!"

In that moment, a villager burst in through the main door.

"Oh, sacred warriors of Hokuto!" he pleaded, falling to his knees "Please, help!"

"What's going on?" Yasmine asked.

"Your student, Shun" the man said, with a terrified look on his face "He killed the chief of the raiders, and took control of his gang! Right now, he's doing exactly was that bandit was doing: taking all of our food away from us!"

Yasmine's eyes widened. The girls looked at each other: none of them was able to speak a word.

* * *

Theresa walked into her room.

Her heart was racing: first Goro, now Shun…

 _It's some kind of mistake,_ she thought. _It has to be. Shun would never do that. The Mistress will go to the village now, and clear things up._

And yet, the Mistress didn't seem to think there was any misunderstanding: she had forbidden them from going to the village with her...almost like she feared Shun could hurt them.

 _No way…_

Then, a sudden noise made her turn her head; only then she noticed the man cowering in the corner of the room.

She had been so preoccupied with Shun, that she hadn't even felt his presence. Goro was on his knees, looking at her with pleading eyes; his head was so horribly deformed that Theresa felt like throwing up.

"You...how..."

 _He must have climbed through the window,_ she answered herself.

"Theresa" Goro crawled towards her "Please..."

She bared her teeth.

"What do you think you're doing here?" she hissed "After what you did to the Mistress...after what you did to me! You were forbidden from entering this Temple's grounds. I should call the others, and have you killed, right here and now!"

But that disfigured man crawling at her feet was truly a pitiable sight; in her heart, Theresa knew she couldn't kill him.

"Theresa" Goro sobbed, with tears in his eyes "My head...the pain...is driving me insane. I've tried pressing some tsubos...to balance the ki a little bit...but it doesn't work. I'm just not good enough...I never was..."

He got even closer.

"I've been in this much pain for _hours._ If it doesn't get any better, I'll end up killing myself. But...but I don't want to die..."

Goro was at her feet now. He hugged her legs.

"Theresa, please...I'm no good...only you can help me now..."

The girl felt a sting of pain in her heart; she felt like crying. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't hate Goro. So, she knelt right in front of him, and hugged him. Her hands reached to his back, pressing a series of tsubos with expertise. As soon as she was done, she heard him sigh with relief.

"Now the flow of ki in your body is stabilized" she said, as she kept holding to him "The pain shouldn't be unbearable now. But, you will still suffer from chronic pain for the rest of your life. You will need to perform some techinique on yourself everyday to ease it...and the results will depend on your ability"

In that moment, he felt Goro's finger going deep into her back. All of her body stiffened up.

 _What…_

She couldn't even talk; her body was as stiff as a board. Goro laid her down on the floor, with an evil grin on his disfigured face. He started to tear her clothes off.

"Yes!" he groaned "THIS is the relief I was looking for!"

As his hands kept undressing her, she tried to scream, but could only let out a muffled, suffocated lament.

* * *

Less than an hour later, Goro was at the village.

 _I need to steal a vehicle, and get the hell away from here!_

Then, as he was about to walk into the main square, he stopped and hid behind a building.

 _What the hell…_

He stuck his head out, just enough to allow him to watch the scene.

Shun and the Mistress were standing in front of each other, surrounded by raiders; they could have clearly felt Goro's rotten karma, but all those wicked bandits were probably allowing him to blend in and go unnoticed. Behind Shun, a small hill of food had been gathered.

"Please" an old man begged, a few feet away from them "Why would you do this to us, Shun-dono...some of us will starve, if you take all that food..."

Shun didn't avert his gaze from the Mistress as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Utaemon-dono" he said "I thought that, since I'm so determined in bringing pain to people, I should at least prove my resolve by starting from someone I know. Just know that, for each one of you that will starve to death, thousands of people will be saved in the future"

"What is this madness?" Yasmine asked "I knew you had changed...but I would have never expected something like this from you. You want to play bandit, now? Or even follow in Ken-Oh footsteps? I cannot allow that"

One of the bandits got closer to Yasmine; he had lust in his eyes, and was drooling from his mouth.

"Ehehe, big mistake opposing our new boss, pretty lady..."

He squeezed one of her boobs. Yasmine's hand moved quickly: she poked the middle of his forehead.

The man's face was twisted by pleasure. His eyes rolled back into his skull.

" _What is... this...feels...so good….!"_

Then, he let out a loud screech as his head exploded; his beheaded body fell to the ground, spurting blood from the neck.

"There was no need to kill that man" Shun said, looking at the corpse with sincere sadness.

"You killed their former chief" Yasmine reminded him "And besides, you have compassion for these rotten scums, and not for the poor people of a village you've known for your entire life?"

"I only killed because it served a purpose" Shun answered "And, unfortunately for me, I have compassion for everybody. That is my curse"

Yasmine was taken aback by words, but readily shook any uncertainty off.

"I don't know what exactly you are thinking, Shun...but if you insist on walking down this path, I must seal your Fist"

She took a fighting stance.

Shun was staring at her with cold eyes.

"Then go ahead" he calmly said "Use it. Use the _Will of the Goddess_ on me. You should be aware that you have no other way of defeating me. Eight years ago, I was already as skilled as you are: now, I am _leagues_ beyond that level"

Yasmine's expression grew sadder.

"No, Shun. The _Megami no Ishi_ is a dreadful technique. Taking control of your mind and body would be akin to raping you. I don't intend to violate you like that"

A bitter smile appeared on Shun's face.

"You say that _now_ " he muttered.

"I shall use a different technique to defeat you" she explained. Suddenly, Goro saw her body slide sideways, creating multiple images of herself. The images kept sliding on the terrain in straight lines, broken by 90 degrees turns. Goro understood that, if he were looking at the scene from above, he would have seen the shape of the Big Dipper.

" _Hokuto Shinken Ougi_ " she chanted " _Shichisei Tenshin!_ "

"Oh, a techinque you haven't taught me" Shun said, closing his eyes "How clever of you, to hide this from me. I've also read every scroll in the Temple, but this isn't mentioned. I suppose you hid or destroyed the scroll describing this, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry, Shun" she said "I had guessed something was wrong with you in these past years. You had grown colder...you were training in secret...I had to keep at least this technique from you..."

Even though he was hearing her voice, Goro couldn't locate her real body; Shun on the other hand, was just standing still with his eyes closed, as if trying to perceive her through his other senses.

The bandits, instead, had cleared the centre of the square, and were now looking at the scene from a safe distance.

"I won't kill you, Shun" Yasmine explained "But I will be forced to impair you ki flow forever, or even take your memories away"

Then, she attacked: all of her images closed in on Shun.

Yasmine let out a cry of pain, as all of her fake images disappeared; her right shoulder exploded with a spurt of blood: Shun had been so quick in hitting her, Goro hadn't even seen it.

"Too bad, Mistress" he said, with a smug smile "This technique may be amazing...but like any other technique, it heavily relies on the skill of the user. I'm now way superior to you: you cannot hope to hide your presence from me; you cannot hope to hit me, or dodge my attacks. Also, I have just used the _Suieishin_ to learn and acquire the _Shichisei Tenshin._ Thank you, Mistress, for this final lesson"

Yasmine had brought a hand to her bleeding shoulder; her face was pale and tense. Then, she closed her eyes, as if she had finally taken a grave decision.

"Very well" she said "I shall use the _Will of the Goddess_ on you"

She took a peculiar stance, putting the palms of her hands in front of herself. Suddenly, the air around her glowed with white, blinding ki.

"You leave me no choice, Shun. I must obey the will of the Heavens, and put an end to your journey down this path of evil. Just know that, after I violate your mind and body, I'm going to atone for it by taking my life: that is least I can do to expiate my sins"

"That is, if you succeed" Shun said, taking a fighting stance as well.

* * *

"Theresa! Something is wrong, the Mistress is taking too long..."

Saya walked into Theresa's room. As she lowered her gaze on the paralyzed, naked body of her sister, pure horror appeared on her face.

* * *

Goro couldn't believe his eyes.

The Mistress had used the Will of the Goddess: and yet, she was the one lying on the ground, while Shun towered over her.

 _He did it,_ Goro thought, amazed despite the growing pain in his head. _I don't know how, but_ _that bastard Shun did it! He has overcome the Megami no Ishi, defying a 1600 years old history! He's now the strongest man who's ever mastered the Sinful Fist!_

Yasmine raised her head to look at her adoptive son; she couldn't move the rest of her body.

"I'm not going to kill you" Shun said "But I've sealed you Fist. The flow of ki in your body is forever impaired: you will never be able to perform your techniques again. As for your paralysis...it will come off in about an hour"

His eyes were clouded with sorrow.

"Despite what you did to me long ago, I do not hate you. I hope you can go on and live the rest of your days peacefully, even without your wicked Fist. For everything you have taught me, I thank you. Farewell, mother"

He bowed his head to her. Then, he addressed his new underlings.

"Take the food to the vehicles: we are moving out in a few minutes"

* * *

When the last of Shun's raiders disappeared, Goro walked into the deserted square. There was no-one around: the villagers had run away as soon as they had seen the Mistress fall.

He walked to her with a grin on his face; she raised her gaze to him, and her eyes widened with horror: she still couldn't move her arms and legs, after all.

"Goro..." she whispered.

"Say goodnight, bitch" the man uttered, bringing his foot down on her face with superhuman strength.


	27. Chapter 27: Flea-Ridden Boy, End

At the first floor of the abandoned house in Rumia's village, Saya was standing in the bedroom with her arms crossed. Reiju sat on a chair, holding the hand of a bedridden Yoshimasa. Mai was occupied with changing the bandages around the General's chest and shoulders.

The others had already left, headed to Goro's hideout; they had taken the military van of General Tatsuya, and were following the map he had drawn. They had decided to split, so that Reiju wouldn't be left completely unprotected; besides, Saya had no desire to see Goro in his final moments. A part of her boiled with rage at the memory of Theresa lying naked on the floor, paralyzed, unable to speak a word; but she also remembered the sense of gratitude and relief she had felt many years before, when Goro had pulled Theresa out of the water.

 _I tried my best to reach that boy's feelings...I failed. Maybe, I should have tried harder. But now, that doesn't matter anymore: Goro will get what he deserves. His fate is for Theresa to decide._

Now, she was way more concerned with Shun: she just had a long talk with Reiju and Yoshimasa, and learned about Shun's true intentions.

"I see" Saya said "so that's what he's been thinking about"

Reiju had a gloomy look on her face; her green eyes were clouded with doubt.

"He accused me of not being willing to bleed for my people" she muttered "He told me I should stop being a Princess, and start being a Queen"

"Don't let his words get to you. What he wanted to do to you is horrible"

"But, what if he's right?" Reiju uttered, with watery eyes "What if he's actually more fit to wear the crown than me? He's ruthless, but he's also only acting in Thorvesk's interest...he is willing to suffer, to sacrifice his body for a new world, like some kind of martyr!"

"He's also willing to turn a lot of innocent people into martyrs, without giving them a choice first" Saya firmly said "And that cannot be forgiven. His dream of building a new Japan is bloodstained"

"But, what if there's no other way?!" Reiju exclaimed "What if strength is the only way of bringing order to chaos? Even if I do my best to rule upon Thorvesk, there are millions of people out there I won't be able to help!"

"I killed them" Yoshimasa whispered, gazing at the ceiling with dead eyes "I decided to believe in Shun's dream, and killed every person in Eiras village. I was also willing to let Reiju be raped...and yet, the Princess showed mercy to me"

Tears ran down his face.

"I cannot harm the Princess any longer. I cannot follow Shun's dream any longer. Does that mean, the villagers of Eiras died for nothing? How can I atone for such a sin? Should I offer my life as compensation?"

Before Reiju could speak, Saya answered:

"No, General. Taking your life would be too easy: you won't atone for anything that way. Instead, you must repay the Princess for her kindness: you must put the second chance she gave you to good use. Stand by her side; protect her; show her the good things Shun did for Thorversk, and teach her how to do the same, so that serving under an evil King will not have been for nothing"

Then, Saya turned her gaze to Reiju:

"You will find a way to save people. If you also wish to build a new world, like Shun, then you should do it. You'll find a way: a way that doesn't involve waging war, starving villages under your rule, or killing innocent people just to prevent them from revolting"

"But, that's impossible!" Reiju protested.

"You will do it" Saya said, with a dead serious look in her eyes "And I...I will be by your side"

Reiju's eyes widened; she opened her mouth, but couldn't speak a word; only tears of gratitude expressed how she felt. She took Saya's hands in her own, and held them tightly. It took her a while, to be able to speak again.

"Shun said something about his Mistress' _test._ About his Fist being wicked"

Saya's eyes grew colder.

"Don't concern yourself with that. Just know that our Mistress never intended to hurt Shun: she merely upheld the Law of our Fist"

"He said he's never been able to lay with the woman he truly loved" Reiju went on "Saya...was he referring to..."

Saya had no answer for that; she could only avert her gaze, as she felt a lump in her throat.

* * *

Captain Ikemoto furrowed his brow, as he watched the military van approach. He was standing on the top of a wooden tower, ten feet high, close to the oasis outside Thorvesk's city. He had been tasked with alerting Goro in case anyone approached.

 _A change of guard?_ He thought. _Isn't it a bit too soon?_

He held the transceiver tigher, ready to switch it on. The three soldiers at the foot of the tower unsheated their swords.

 _Don't lose you mind. This is a secret location after all. We are perfectly safe._

The van stopped. Three beautiful women got off it.

"Shit!" the Captain yelled, bringing the transceiver to his mouth.

 _What…_

He couldn't switch it on: his hand was paralyzed. It took him a couple of seconds to notice the metal needle sticking out of his wrist.

"Bull's-eye" the red-haired one commented. Then, she jumped, reaching the top of the tower with ease; before Ikemoto could do anything, she had struck a point on his nape; he let go of the transceiver against his will, and was forced on all fours. At the foot of the tower, the other girls were easily restraining his men.

"Oh Gods!" the man uttered, sweating profusely. He was well aware of what those women were capable of: he knew what had happened to the raiders at the southern gates of Rumia, and what kind of fate had befallen Captain Shiba.

"Please, dont' kill us!" he begged, looking up at the red-haired woman with the corner of his eye.

"Kill you?" she muttered "Why should I?"

"W-what?"

The woman put on a big mocking smile.

"Don't be such a crybaby! We are not going to hurt you!" she explained "You are not bad guys, we can feel it by your karma. I mean, you are no saints...but we are no saints either. We only wanted to prevent you from alerting Goro: General Tatsuya told us all about his defences. But there is no reason for you to die. Well, if we had a little more time, I would probably play with you a bit...make you shit your pants...but whatever. We have a bigger prey, and lots of fun ahead of us"

She turned her back on him.

"Don't worry: the paralysis will come off in about an hour. Bye-bye!"

Roxanne jumped from the tower, landing in front of her sisters.

"So, are we ready?" she asked, looking at Olga and Theresa.

"Yes" Theresa nodded, with a fiece look in her eyes "Let's go get that bastard"

* * *

Ayako was sitting on the bed, clearly upset and unnerved; Goro was standing near the table, pouring himself some wine.

"How long do we have to stay in this place?"

"For as long as we need"

Ayako was not satisfied with the answer.

"He could have at least let us stay in the Palace" she muttered "It was safer there"

"It wasn't"

Goro brought the glass to his lips and emptied it in one sip.

"There's five of them. Each one of them can cut through the Palace's defences like a knife cuts through butter. While Shun deals with some of them, the others could easily wreck havoc. They could even kill you before I can do anything about it"

 _That is, assuming you can do anything about it at all,_ Ayako thought.

"For once, I had to agree with Shun" Goro went on "Secrecy is our best defence. We'll be safe here: if anyone approaches, Shun's men will alert us through the transceiver. Once he deals with those women, we will be allowed to return to the Capital"

Goro's eyes grew sadder.

"You know, Ayako...I've been thinking...he's been good to us"

"Has he?"

"He has. He took us in when he had no reason to: I'm the main reason he's being hunted down, after all. When we get back...I think I'm going to thank him"

Ayako raised an eyebrow.

"You're getting soft"

Goro sighed. He put the glass back on the table and sat next to her.

"There's a story I haven't told you. A story I never tell anyone. I used to have a dog once"

 _A dog?_ Ayako furrowed her brow. _What the hell is he talking about at times like this?_

"Well, it wasn't really _my_ dog. It was just a stray, flea-ridden mutt that used to live near the stream. It was trying to survive, day by day...just like me"

Goro was staring at the floor with profound sadness.

"I loved that dog. And yet, I killed it. I got upset about something, and I killed it. I always end up hurting the ones I love. But...I want to change"

He turned his head to look at Ayako.

"Shun may have put a leash on me...but I'm starting to feel like it was for the best. Being forced to channel my frustration into training...forced to compromise in order to keep you safe...it gave me _purpose._ After having been disfigured, I never put much thought into what I would do with my life: I was just taking what I wanted, stealing, killing, and fucking. I was a mad dog, I didn't care. A part of me thought that I was going to die soon anyway. But now...now I'm tired of that. I've realized how much I care about you. Maybe we can live in Thorvesk, and be happy in the world Shun builds. And I...I don't want to hurt the ones I love ever again"

Ayako just stared at him, without saying anything. Then, she leaned over and kissed him.

"Well" Goro said, with a smile on his face "That's enough sad talk. I'm going to be training in the other room. Call me if you need something"

Ayako returned that smile.

"But of course, Goro, my love"

* * *

Ayako knew it was time to go. She had already loaded the jeep with water, food and a tank of gas. Goro was training now, so it was the perfect time. She walked down the hallway with a light step.

 _I'm a survivor after all._

A few months after the world had ended, a bandit chief had taken her as a sex slave, and raped her countless times: she was only 12. Frail, weak, unexperienced. Her lack of experience had cost her the scar she was wearing on her face: the bandit had sliced across it with a knife, the night she had failed in her attempt to escape.

 _But I learned to be more careful. I moved with light step, the night I put that very knife through that bastard's neck._

Since then, she had been surviving in the wastelands by siding with the strong: finding a strong man, manipulating him with sex, getting rid of competitors and assuring herself the best meals and protection. When someone stronger came along, she simply betrayed her former partner and seduced the newcomer.

 _It wasn't simply about food and safety. It was about power, too._

Being the favourite woman of a cruel bandit chief had its upsides; for example, she had been free to indulge in her peculiar sexual preferences: living in such a violent world, she had soon discovered that hearing people scream of pain and terror made her wet.

And then, Goro had come along, killing the bandit chief she was with at the time.

To Ayako, someone like Goro seemed a dream come true. Sure he was hideous, and dangerous, but her former partners hadn't been much better than him. The important thing was, he was able to use Hokuto Shinken. Who could oppose a man like that? He was invincible.

 _Or so I thought._

Discovering that he was being hunted down by other five Hokuto Shinken users, had been a heavy blow for her. Still, Ayako had hope. Her hope was named Shun.

She had set her eyes on him since the first time he had appeared in Gehiko, looking for Goro.

Of course, if she wanted to betray a man like Goro, she needed to play her cards right. When she moved to Thorvesk's Royal Palace, she knew she got a chance.

 _I could have had ANYTHING, with a man like Shun by my side. He was a King, and a true master of Hokuto Shinken. No-one would have dared to hurt me, and I would have spent the rest of my days living in luxury!_

But, she had failed to seduce him: instead, she had been humiliated for even trying.

And now, she wasn't even living in his Palace anymore, guarded by hundreds of guards: instead, she was stuck in a shitty place with that "self-pity man" Goro, while five merciless killers could have appeared at any moment.

 _I won't stay here a minute longer._

She had only waited so long because she was afraid Goro would hunt her down; but now, she wasn't afraid of him anymore.

 _Goro couldn't find his own dick in his pants,_ she thought, with a smile. _The moment he realizes I'm gone, I will be dozens of miles away._

She opened the frontdoor...and the smile died on her face.

Three women were right in front of her; she never had any doubt about their identities.

Ayako tried to scream, but the red-haired one put a hand on her mouth, and pushed her back inside.

* * *

Goro senses were not really sharp; still, a moment before the door was burst open, he was able to feel three very familiar karmas.

 _No way…_

Theresa, Roxanne and Olga walked into the room; Olga and Roxanne had restrained Ayako, who was looking at Goro with pleading eyes.

"Long time no see, Goro" Roxanne greeted him "We finally meet again. We've have been searching for you for _soo loong_...feels like ages..."

Goro met Theresa's eyes, and a wave of rage and frustration hit him. Then, he turned to Olga and Roxanne, who were holding Ayako by her shoulders and hair.

"Let her go" he growled.

"Don't think so"

"I SAID LET HER GO!"

He threw himself at them; but Theresa's kick caught him mid-air: he was barely able to shield himself. His body flew back upon the impact.

"Look at you, getting so worked up about this skank" Roxanne teased him "Seems like you finally found true love. Good for you! Although, I wonder...does she feel the same about you?"

Roxanne's finger sank in the middle of Ayako's chest. Ayako eye's rolled upwards, as an irresistible power got control of her mind.

"I've struck one of your pressure points" the girl explained "Now, you won't be able to lie to me. Say, do you love Goro too? You are a perfect match after all, considering your pitch-black karma"

Ayako was struggling to keep her mouth shut, and yet, she couldn't help but smile at the question.

"Don't...make me...laugh" she said, giggling "Who would love such a... self-loathing...loser"

"I see" Roxanne said "Isn't that cruel though? He tried to save you just now"

"He would love...anyone...anyone who showed him a bit...of affection. He's like a...stray puppy… a stray hideous, deformed puppy that no-one wants..."

"So, you don't care about what happens to him?"

"He can...die...for all I...care"

Goro had listened to Ayako with widened eyes.

"Poor Goro" Roxanne commented "It looks like we broke his heart"

Goro closed his eyes, as tears slowly streamed down his face.

"I see" he muttered after a while "Take her away. I don't care what happens to her"

"Very well. Olga, let's go" Roxanne said "Let's have a little fun with _this one_. Goro is for Theresa to handle"

"Call for us if you need any help, There-chan" Olga said.

"Thank you, Olga, that won't be necessary" Theresa said, staring at Goro with her arms crossed.

Roxanne and Olga dragged Ayako away, closing the door behind them.

"You think so, uh?" Goro hissed "You bitch"

He took a fighting stance. Dense, invisible ki arose from his body: surprise appeared on Theresa's face.

"You didn't expect it, did you?" Goro teased her "I've gotten stronger. I suppose you were expecting an enemy who couldn't fight back"

Theresa's lips curved downwards, in an expression of utter disgust.

"You're the one who's used to have his way with people who can't fight back" she said, taking a fighting stance as well.

* * *

"Please! Please please please" Ayako cried, looking back and forth from Olga to Roxanne "Don't hurt me! Whatever Goro did to you, I had nothing to do with it! I just stuck to him for a few months, in order to survive!"

"Well, yeah" Roxanne said, with a cruel smile on her face "But you see, we can tell you've been a very, very _bad girl_. And we would never let a bad girl like you go"

"I...I don't know what you're are talking abou-..."

Roxanne pressed the point in the middle of her chest again. Ayako's mind went numb.

"So, back in Gehiko, they told us you are a true psychopath. You killed people for no reason at all, sometimes even as you raped them. Why did you do that?"

"Because...it's fun" she answered against her will "Killing them as they scream from pain...makes me wet"

"Oh, I see"

Roxanne eyes narrowed, as a big, sadistic smiled appeared on her face.

"You are the kind of person that uses others as her playthings. And I'm the kind of person that uses people like _you_ as my plaything"

The red-haired girl began to strip her, tearing her clothes apart.

"What...what are you going to do to me!?" Ayako asked, utterly terrified.

"Well, you are all about fun, aren't you? Olga" Roxanne said with a grin "Since you used the Mugoi Ken last time, this time I'll be using the Ujou Ken. Let's give this bitch the most fun she ever had in her life!"

* * *

Goro had taken a squatting position; his hands were moving across the air at high speed, following an indiscernible pattern.

Theresa furrowed her brow.

" _Hokuto Rakan Geki_ , uh?" she muttered.

"You didn't think I would master such a technique, did you?" Goro said "You can't tell where my real hands are. Now, die!"

Goro charged at her, bringing a series of rapid-fire strikes. Theresa moved backwards, while dodging and blocking every hit. Then, she managed to throw a single punch: Goro blocked it, but his body was lifted from the floor by the strength of the impact; he fell on his back with a moan of pain.

"Tsk" Theresa commented "Such a weak technique wouldn't work on me anyway"

Then, she felt a sudden pain in her left shoulder, and instinctively brought a hand to it.

 _Impossible..._

Goro had managed to hit her without her noticing. If he had managed to inject a little more ki into her shoulder, her flesh would have exploded.

Goro grinned as he got back on his feet.

"What, not so weak as you expected?" he provoked her.

* * *

Ayako was now completely naked. All of her body was shaking, covered in sweat; her muscles were contracting spasmodically. Not out of pain though: out of pleasure.

Olga's fingers had sunk into her breasts, striking peculiar pressure points, and numbing her mind with maddening delight. Roxanne had done something similar, making her body even more sensitive. Now, the two of them were playing with her: Olga was holding her and massaging her left breast, while Roxanne was stroking her right nipple with her tongue.

 _This is exactly like last time with Shun!,_ she thought. _I can't take it, it's just too much!_

" _Pleashe"_ she begged, drooling from her mouth _"Please, sthop..."_

But her body betrayed her: Ayako leaned over and kissed Olga, sucking on her tongue like someone who's dying of thirst. She felt her own tongue going numb, as more deadly ki was injected into it.

Roxanne fingers moved slowly down her belly, reaching the inner part of her thight: Ayako climaxed just for that.

"The pleasure will only get more intense" Roxanne explained "When it gets too intense, it's really difficult for the brain to tell it apart from pain. All your body will know, is that it's being overloaded with powerful inputs. In a way, the feeling will be similar to burning alive. You'll keep climaxing more and more, until your head and torso explode "

" _Oh Gods, no! Pleashe, I'll do anything!"_

"Don't be shy now: you led me to believe you we all about fun. Here" she said, spreading Ayako's legs "Have you ever received a proper mouth job? I suppose not. Bandits don't make for great lovers. Leave this to me: I'm a professional after all"

" _No! Pleashe dont'! I'm too sensitive right now! I'll die!"_

Roxanne smiled, as she gazed down between her legs.

"Here...you should never start with the clitoris...start with the inner thigh, and then move to the vaginal lips...very, very slowly..."

Her tongue stretched out like a snake, dripping saliva. When it made contact with her private parts, Ayako body began to shake even harder, as if she was being electrocuted. Her eyes rolled back into her skull.

" _I'm frying!"_ she yelled _"It's gonna melt! It's gonna melt! My brain is gonna melt!"_

Ayako couldn't tell pleasure apart from pain anymore. Soon, her begging and pleading turned to some indescernible babbling; but even as she wasn't able to formulate a coherent thought anymore, her agony still went on.  
Only a full hour later, her body finally fell apart, putting an end to that nightmare.

* * *

Theresa was in mid-air. Dozens of Goro's attacks fell on her from above.

" _Hokuto Senju Satsu!"_ the man screamed, as he showered her with blows.

Theresa was able to shield herself, but landed heavily on her back. Her face was twisted by pain.

"What's wrong?" Goro teased her, landing on his feet and taking a different stance "Were you looking for a much easier prey? You girls are crazy: thinking of hunting me and Shun down..."

Theresa got back up, raising her guard again.

"I will defeat you" she said, baring her teeth "And then, we will defeat Shun. We have Saya on our side"

Goro grinned.

"You poor fools...Saya can't help you out. The _Megami no Ishi_ doesn't work on Shun"

Theresa's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?!"

"I've seen it with my own eyes. The Mistress used it on him...and she failed. Shun has overcome it. The 1600 years old tradition that put men beneath women has been broken!"

"You're lying!" Theresa yelled. She couldn't accept it; she couldn't believe it.

"Eh, you should be able to tell if I'm lying just by looking at me. You should know I'm telling the truth"

Theresa just stood there and looked at Goro, shocked by what he had just revealed.

"Finally accepting it, are you?" he mocked her "Oh, and there's one more thing"

An evil, sadistic light appeared in his eyes.

"When Shun defeated the Mistress, she was still _alive:_ he had only sealed her Fist. But I'm not as merciful as him. As soon as Shun left...I walked to her, and cracked her head open with my foot"

Theresa froze. The expression on her face was almost comical, now.

"That's right. I just crushed her like a cockroach. That _dumb cow_...how dare she do that to my face..."

The air got heavier all of a sudden, making it harder to breath. A shiver went up Goro's spine, as a bright, green light glowed all around Theresa.

"Goro" she growled "I'm going to kill you"

"SHUT UP AND DIE!"

He charged at her, throwing a punch at her face; but she caught it.

" _Let go, bitch!"_ he yelled, struggling to free himself from her grasp; but she just crushed his hand, with supernatural strength. Blood spurted from his broken fingers.

"Gods!" he screamed, moving a few step backwards. Then, before he could do anything, Theresa pressed a point on his left arm: a tremendous pain spread to all of his body.

 _Is this...Roxanne's Mugoi Ken…_

"Tell me, Goro, that does hurt?" she asked, as the green light glowed even brighter around her.

" _You slut!"_

He tried to hit her with his left arm, but she was just too quick: she poked the middle of his palm, and his left hand also exploded. The pain was increased many folds by the previous Mugoi Ken technique.

" _Goshi Retsu Dan"_ she chanted.

Goro could only fall back into the corner, as Theresa slowly walked to him.

"It's time, Goro" she said "It's time you feel the pain of everyone you hurt so far. Say your final prayers: I'm going to use the _Hachimon Kudan_ on you"

Terror got the best of Goro; if she used such a technique, not only he would die, but due to the Mugoi Ken technique still active on his body, the pain would drive him insane.

"Wait, Theresa!" he begged "Please, don't do this! We've been living under the same roof for _twelve years!_ We are _family_ , aren't we?!"

" _ATA!"_

Theresa first punch landed on his mouth. Countless others followed.

"ATATATATATATA, UATTAH!"

The last one landed on his deformed head; he wriggled in pain, but she wasn't done with him.

She grabbed him by his shoulders, turned him around and shove her knee against his spine.

Goro felt his body bending backwards, his head now only a few inches from the floor.

Then, Theresa's index finger pierced the middle of his chest.

"Not only I've used the Hachimon Kudan, I've also struck the Meimon pressure point on your back" she explained "But as long as the pressure point that forces you to talk is active, the other ones won't activate. The moment I pull my finger away, though, your spine will break and all of your body will explode into minced meat"

"T-theresa..."

"Now, tell me: how did Shun overcome the _Will of the Goddess?_ "

"I-I don't know...it all happened way too fast...Shun looked like he was suffering from the _Will_ , he was cowering on the ground...but a moment later, he had struck the Mistress down..."

Disappointment appeared on Theresa's face.

"Very well. I only got two questions left for you. After that, your life will be over"

Her eyes grew sadder.

"That day, at the wooden bridge...why did you save me?"

Goro grinned.

"I didn't save you...I was trying to kill you"

Theresa winced at his words.

"Kill me? But...the bridge collapsed and..."

" _I_ made the bridge collapse. I had sawed the central pillar. Hell, I almost drowned myself in order to do that"

"B-but...you saved me...you dragged my body out of the water! Saya saw that!"

"I was trying to finish you off. When Saya saw me, I had a rock in my hands. Was planning to smash your head with it"

Theresa was looking at him with pure horror.

"But why?! Why would you do something like that?!"

Goro's eyes were almost pleading now: he wasn't proud of the answer he was about to give.

"You two had thrown my pigeon in the water. I got angry, and killed my dog for that. I thought it was only fair that you would die too"

A long silence followed.

"I see" Theresa whispered, finally accepting that horrible truth "One last question then"

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Did you ever truly love me?"

Tears were flowing down Goro's cheeks too; his lips curved up in a bitter smile.

"Yes" he said "More than I could ever love anyone...more than I can describe. I guess...this is the only kind of love I'm capable of"

A lump closed Theresa's throat. She closed her eyes, as tears ran down her face.

"Goro...disappear into nothing"

She pulled her finger away from his chest; the disturbing sound of Goro's spine breaking filled the air. Then, with a final screech of unimaginable pain, his head and torso exploded, splashing the walls with blood and guts.

Theresa stared at the mangled remains of his body, unable to move. After a few seconds, she fell on her knees and started to cry even harder.

* * *

"So, has Reiju fallen asleep?" Mai asked.

"She has" Saya said, as they walked down the hallway "We should let her rest"

It was a fraction of second: Mai could do nothing about it. Saya's finger pierced her left side, injecting a pressure point with ki.

Mai fell to her knees and remained in that position, paralyzed.

"I feared you would do something like that" the dark-skinned girl said "I just hoped you wouldn't be this _stupid_ "

"I'm sorry, Mai. I have to do this"

"You're a fool. You can't face Shun alone. What good is your _Megami no Ishi_ , if he doesn't leave you the time to use it?"

"This is something I must do by myself"

"Why?!" Mai uttered "Is it because you feel responsible? Because you were the closest one to Shun, you think you could have prevented this?!"

"It's not just that"

Saya eyes expressed a sincere sorrow.

"You saw the kind of man Shun has become; you know how strong his resolve is. He was ready to _rape himself_ with Reiju, in order to achieve his goal. He butchered an entire village of innocent people, elderly and children included. That means...he probably won't hesitate to kill us too. And if we fight Shun together...at least one of us is going to die. Probably more"

She looked at Mai with desperate, pleading eyes.

"And I can't allow that!" she exclaimed "I can't allow even one of you to die!"

"If you fail, you'll doom us all" Mai said "And all of this will have been for nothing"

"I know" Saya said, as she walked away from her "That is why, I will not fail"


	28. Chapter 28: A 1600 Years Old Sadness

_Late 90s_

Saya sat on her bed, and stared at the wall before her with sad eyes. Then, she stretched out a hand to her pillow, and picked up a cornflower from under it. The flower had now completely withered away; still, she handled it with extreme care. She took it in her clasped hands, brought it to her forehead and closed her eyes, as in prayer.

 _Where are you now, Shun?_ She thought. _Please, be safe._

* * *

Shun was standing at the top of a hill. From up there, he could see all of the city stretching out in front of him: the run-down skyscrapers looked like giant tombstones in a vast graveyard.

 _So, this should be the place._

According to the information he had gathered, Ken-Oh was in that city at the moment. Kenshiro was on his way to confront him, having already freed the fortress of Cassandra...but Shun could not wait for Kenshiro to come.

 _Ken-Oh must be stopped. And I shall do it myself._

With a smug smile on his face, he started to increase his spirtual power. A pillar of blue ki arose from his body, rising to the sky.

 _Let's see how sharp your senses are,_ Shun thought. _Can you feel me, Ken-Oh? I'm coming for you._

Suddenly, he felt his own blood freeze. His skin crawled, his hair stood on an end. All of his body started to be covered in cold sweat.

 _What...what is this great fear..._

Then, he felt it. The humongous pillar of condensed ki, at least ten meters wide, rising from the center of the city to the clouds above, thousands of meters up in the air. No, he didn't even need to feel it: he could _see_ it. A red light was glowing above the city, so intense that even the sun was outshined. Not only that: the earth beneath his feet was faintly trembling, even though he was standing miles away from the source of that tremendous power. He saw skyscrapers crumble and fall all around the pillar of light, as huge clouds of dust rose to the sky.

 _This is impossible!,_ Shun thought, only barely aware of his own teeth chattering. _This kind of power shouldn't exist! It belongs to the realm of the Gods! And this murderous intent….is directed at me!_

Now, Shun was feeling like a small child being towered over by a giant. Ken-Oh had accepted his challenge: but it was clear to Shun, that he had challenged not a man, but Death itself.

At that point, the young Master of the Sinful Fist could not think anymore; as survival instinct kicked in, he could only turn his back to the city and run. As his heart raced in his chest, he shamelessly ran away with all of his strength, fleeing from the dreadful God who had set his gaze on him.

* * *

 _Five days later_

"This...can't be..."

Shun walked through the village, as his eyes grew wider with horror.

Everyone had been killed: the corpses of men, women and children were rotting under the sun.

He knew those people: he had even learned to love them.

Then, he noticed someone moving: an old man laying on the ground, heavily wounded.

 _The village chief!_

Shun ran to him. He took the old, scrawny man in his arms, and pressed a tsubo on his back; then, he checked his pulse.

 _It's not getting stronger,_ he thought. _I'm too late._

"Shun...it is you..." the man whispered, as soon as he opened his eyes.

"What happened?" Shun asked "I freed you from Ken-Oh's men, did I not? So, what in the world..."

"Ah, yes" the man said "You chased those horrible men away...but yesterday, raiders came. It's no surprise, really: the same has happened to the surrounding villages. Apparently, Kenshiro has clashed with Ken-Oh a couple of days ago. None of them was killed, but Ken-Oh has left these lands, and his army with him. As soon as they were gone, common bandits decided to take advantage of the situation: they took what little we had left, and killed us just for the fun of it. They didn't even bother to finish me off: they just beated me up, and left me to die of thirst..."

Shun's eyes were filling with tears.

"Those _savages_!" he uttered "I shall not forgive them! They'll pay with their lives!"

The old man smiled bitterly.

"Even if you kill them all, nothing will change" he said "More of them will come in the future. It's always the same: first Ken-Oh's men, taking our food for their army and torturing us...then the raiders, mindlessly killing everyone...the weak will always suffer the same fate. They will always be _preys_ "

"Chief-dono…"

"You're good man, Shun" the man said, with his dying breath "You helped us. You protected us and cured the wounded and the sick. But you can't be everywhere at once, no-one can. It's not your fault: it's just the way things are. There's nothing you can to do change this rotten world...nothing at all..."

* * *

 _Present times_

"You idiots! Don't shoot!" the Captain uttered, with evident panic in his voice. Saya was using him as a human shield, with an arm twisted behind his back. In front of him, around fifty crossbowmen were guarding the gates to the Royal Palace. Another dozen guards were already laying on the ground, dead of disabled.

"Tell them to put their weapons down and to let me through" Saya ordered, whispering in his ear.

"There's no way they will obey!" the Captain cried out "They are too afraid of His Majesty! They are going to shoot any moment now! Please, for the love of the Gods, let me go! I don't want to end up like a porcupine!"

"Why should I care? Your karma is pretty rotten after all"

In that moment, a lieutenant raised his sword.

"There's nothing we can do for the Captain! Our duty is to protect the Palace! Men... _fire!_ "

Fifty bolts flew at Saya at the same time; in a split second, she threw the Captain to the ground, saving his life, and jumped high. She went through a window, reaching the second floor of the Palace.

"After her, you idiots!" she heard the lieutenant scream "We can't allow her to reach his Majesty!"

Saya had no time to listen to them; she just ran across the hallway as fast as she could.

 _I must reach the throne room soon, or this will turn into a bloodbath._

Ten armed men charged at her in the corridor, with spears in their hands; she quickly made her way through them, breaking their bones and paralysing them. The last guard standing tried to swing an axe at her, but Saya's finger reached the center of his forehead: the man froze, looking at her with terrified, pleading eyes.

"You are already dead...is what I'd normally say"

She pulled her finger back, and the man tottered backwards, falling on his ass.

Saya towered over him, with a sad look in her eyes.

"Just go home" she said "Shun is the only one that needs to die today"

* * *

Shun was sitting on the throne when one of his officers burst in the hall, with a crazed look on his face.

"Your Majesty!" he uttered, falling on one knee "One of the Hokuto women has breached into the Palace! We are struggling to restrain her!"

Shun's eyes got wide with surprise.

"Only one?"

"Yes, Your Majesty"

 _I see…_

"Very well. Let her through"

The officer raised his head to look at Shun, taken aback.

"B-but...Your Majesty..."

Shun raised a hand, and the man went quiet.

"Don't try to stop her; do not engage in battle with her. I hereby command my men to abandon the defense of the Royal Palace. Put your weapons down, and kneel to the ground as she approaches: it's the only way to keep casualties at a minimun. I shall be the one to deal with her"

Shun's eyes narrowed.

"After all, when this is done, I want my army to still be at its full power"

* * *

Saya had reached the third floor; she ran around the corner, and suddenly stopped.

 _What..._

Around fifty soldiers were in the hallway, but they were not lined up to defend it: instead, they were on their knees, pressing their foreheads against the floor. They weapons were laying in front of them, abandoned.

Saya slowly walked between them, ready for any sudden sign of hostility: but there was no hostility in them. She could only sense fear: they were absolutely terrified of her.

She noticed one of them with a really bad karma: an officer, maybe a Captain.

"Hey, you" she asked "Where's the throne room?"

"U-up ahead" the man answered, all of his body shaking "You can't miss it!"

Saya stood still for a moment, taking into consideration the idea of killing him. Seeing how she towered over him, the man started to tremble even harder. Despite it all, Saya couldn't help but feel some compassion in her heart.

 _Fuck it,_ she thought, _I have no time for this._

She turned his back on him, and charged ahead.

* * *

When she finally walked into the main hall, Shun was waiting for her.

The young man was sitting on the throne, wearing the silver crown that belonged to Reiju's father, and with a golden cape on his shoulders.

As their eyes met, Saya felt her heart race.

"Shun..." she muttered.

He stared at her for a while, with a sad look in his eyes. Then, he sighed.

"Long time no see, Saya" he said "I was sure you would come for me, sooner or later. If you are here alone, I can only assume the others are busy dealing with Goro. And so, all the efforts I made in order to protect him were for naught: a true pity. I had wished to save that man"

"He had to pay for his crimes" Saya replied "and so do you. I've come to stop you, Shun"

Shun laid back against the stone backrest, his lips slightly curving up into a smile.

"And so here you are, determined to seal my Fist. Even if that means...taking my life, I presume?"

Saya said nothing: she just stared at Shun with coldness.

"I see" he said "You really are not the compassionate Saya I knew long ago. I can't even begin to fathom the amount of men you had to kill in your journey. Still, let me test the strength of your resolve. You and the others decided to hunt me down for revenge, didn't you? What if I told you...that was Goro, and not me, the one who killed our Mistress?"

Saya's jaw dropped. She looked for falsehood on Shun's face: she didn't find it.

"What are you talking about?!" she growled "Goro would have never been able to kill our Mistress!"

"He did it after I had defeated her. I had sealed her Fist...but she was alive: I had decided to spare her life. Goro took advantage of the situation: as soon as I was gone, he killed her. I only learned of this when I met Goro in Gehiko"

Saya clenched her fists.

 _I hope Goro burns in hell._

"So, what are you going to do now, Saya?" he provoked her "Do you still wish to kill me?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"You may not have killed the Mistress, but you still have her blood on your hands" she said "Goro was only able to kill her because you defeated her: you broke the Law of the Fist, using it to rise to power, killing hundreds of innocent people in the process. That's why, I'm going to stop you"

Shun stared at her for a few seconds, in silence. Then…

"Very well" he said, getting up from the throne "But I won't fight you here. Let's go to the terrace at the top of the Palace: we'll have plenty of space there"

After turning his back to her, he removed the golden cape, exposing his naked torso, and wrapped it around the throne. He also removed the crown from his head, carefully placing it on the seat.

"Even though fighting you also falls within to my Royal duties, I'm not going to fight you as King of Thorvesk" he explained "Instead, I will face you as Shun, of the Sinful Fist of the North Star. I'll retrieve the crown after I'm done with you. Now, follow me"

* * *

They were on the terrace, facing each other. As Shun said, they had plenty of space: it was a wide circular area, surrounded by stone columns.

Shun was staring at her with determination in his eyes, and yet, he had not taken a fighting stance.

"I knew I had to confront you, sooner or later" he said "I just wish there was another way"

"If you hate fighting so much, just quietly let me seal you Fist" Saya mocked him, forcing herself to put on an arrogant smile "After that, Reiju will be deciding your fate"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, I promised myself that I would save this world, and I intend to keep that promise"

"Yes, Reiju told me all about your bloodstained dream" Saya uttered, unable to hold her anger back "A dream that involves slaughtering an entire village just to preserve your power"

The condescending smile on Shun's face took her aback.

"Tell me, Saya...if I had not slaughtered Eiras village...if I had never come to Thorvesk, and claimed the Crown...would those people be alive right now?"

"What do you mean?! Of course they would! Why wouldn't they?"

"Oh, I don't know...raiders, for example. The former Thorvesk's army was not strong or efficient enough to protect the surrounding villages, after all. Or famine: Eiras economy wasn't good enough to handle a single poor harvest. Or epidemic: without antibiotics, hygiene measures and good nutrition, how many of them would have survived?"

"But you were _starving them!_ " Saya protested.

"I was, in order to make Thorvesk stronger. My point is, every village in the world is facing those kind of threats right now: every village faces utter annihilation everyday. Things will stay like this forever, unless someone takes on the burden and responsability to change them"

His eyes narrowed as he looked at Saya.

"What have you and your sisters been doing, these past six months?" he asked "Chasing your petty revenge, getting kicks out of killing bad guys. _I,_ on the other hand, have been putting my skills to good use. I made this Kingdom stronger. I've fed people, cured them. I studied things I did not understand, and looked for people who could advise me on difficult matters, in order to make this city better and better. And you would kill _me?_ Then what? Put Reiju on the Throne? A young girl that was taught it was her right to rule, while I took it as my _duty?!_ "

"We have been _saving_ people!" Saya yelled back, with fire in her eyes "We have been protecting the weak and innocent from the wicked, as Kenshiro-dono did long ago!"

" _Kenshiro didn't save anyone!"_ Shun cried out, unable to hide his anger any longer "The world is exactly the same as it was ten years ago! He just moved from land to land, overthrowing tyrants and killing every criminal on his path. He's like a hurricane of blood: he appears, fights, then readily disappears. Tell me: where is Kenshiro right now?"

Saya didn't know what to say.

"Kenshiro-dono is surely lending his help to some faraway land..." she could only mutter.

"Exactly. He's not here to take care of people, so _I_ have to do it in his stead. Back when I was younger, I tried to play the _saviour_ too: but I was just being naive. People I thought I had saved, ended up being murdered a few days later. Don't tell me this hasn't happened to you too"

Saya opened her mouth, but couldn't speak a word, as she felt a sting of pain in her heart: she thought of Aiko, the young girl who ended up brutally killed a few hours after she left her.

"B-but..." she finally said "does that mean you would choose Ken-Oh path just because of this? Because it's hard to eradicate evil from the world, you would choose a path of tyranny instead?"

A sneer of disgust appeared on Shun's face.

"I will not praise Ken-Oh for what he did: he was a babbling foul. He didn't build an empire to save people: he only did it in order to fulfill his petty ambition. Basically, he was a twelve years old kid trapped in a man's body. And don't even let me started on that self-proclaimed _Sacred Emperor_ : that idiot had the power to change the world, and instead used children to build a monument to his ego"

Shun sighed at the memory.

"In short, those so-called _great men_ were unworthy of the power they wielded. But such power is not completely out of my reach now: the first time I faced Raoh, I almost pissed my pants...but trust when I say that, if I fought Raoh right now, I would _not_ go down easily. Maybe, he would still prevail in the end...but I would make him _bleed_ , that's a given"

He spread his arms, as he went on.

"The world doesn't need fouls like Raoh and Souther...but it doesn't need _heroes_ like Kenshiro either. The world needs law, order and stability. Do you think eradicating evil is hard? Let me tell you something: you _can't_ eradicate evil. Because evil is born in the heart of men. Even if you kill all of the bad guys on the planet, more of them will be born in the future. That's why, I decided that I would not kill people based on their karma, no matter how rotten: instead, I would put a leash on them"

"A _leash?"_ Saya uttered in disbelief.

"Yes. Think about old Japan, Saya: remember how things were before the war. Sure, there was crime...but no groups of bandits wiping out entire villages, raping women in broad daylight.

Why didn't those things happen? Were people back then less _evil_ than now? Of course not!

They didn't because they were _afraid_ of consequences...and because they were well-fed, they had no reason to kill and pillage. They had a leash on them, made of both fear and wellness. So, this is why I decided to save Goro, even after learning what he did to Theresa: there is no reason to kill a man that wears a leash. As long as a man lives, no matter how evil, he can still do good.

I am supposed to be a God of Death: instead, I'll become a mercyful God, that will offer a New Covenant to Mankind. Instead of killing the wicked, I'll force them to behave and put their skills to good use, so that humanity will be able to thrive once more"

"Thrive!?" Saya uttered "What part of your Kingdom is thriving, right now, except for the Capital? You have reduced villages to starvation through fear and violence! You are a tyrant, nothing more!"

"Do you dream of democracy, Saya? I do too" he said "I dream of social rights, education, a health care system. I long for all the precious things we have lost. But the world isn't ready: it will take _decades,_ maybe _centuries_ to have those things back. That's just how much the nuclear holocaust brought us back. For now, a strong power is needed, in order to ensure stability and bring all lands under one rule"

Even though she was impressed, Saya didn't let her resolve falter.

"So, that's it?" she provoked him "What am I supposed to do, now? Should I accept you as the rightful King, and just walk away? Should I bring you Reiju too, so you can rape her?!"

A bitter smile appeared on Shun's face.

"Oh Saya...even if you accepted me as the King, I could never let you walk away right now. You see, there are other people I need to save...unborn girls, who may one day be taught our Sinful Fist"

Suddenly, Saya sensed hostility from him. She instinctively took a fighting stance.

"What do you mean?!" she growled.

"I mean, I must seal your Fist, so you may never teach it to anyone" he answered "I decided it long ago. Just impairing the flow of ki in your body won't do...I'll need to erase your memory, or kill you in the attempt. Of course, all of our sisters will meet the same fate"

"But _why?!_ What's on your mind?!"

"It's very simple. I shall become the only heir to the Sinful Fist. I will pass down Hokuto Shinken to my son...but only the techniques belonging to the Main School. The Sinful Fist itself, instead, with all of its wicked tradition, will be lost to time: so no-one else will have to suffer as we did"

"You're still thinking about _that!?_ " Saya yelled "Our Mistress did nothing wrong!"

" _She raped me!"_ Shun yelled back "When I was 11! She was a mother to me, and she raped me! I was forced to take the test: naked, disgusted, lost...afraid that I would fail and _die!_ "

Shun had tears in his eyes now; Saya felt tears appear in her eyes too.

"But she regretted it" Saya whispered "She merely upheld the Law of the Fist, and yet she regretted doing so. She waited for me and our sisters to be older, and made sure we would not die during the test"

"She did" Shun admitted "But what if future Mistresses keep mercilessly upholding the tradition? What if they keep raping young girls or boys as soon at they hit puberty!? Besides, you were all still very young when she took you virginity: around 15 years old. So young...and yet already forced to sell your bodies to lecherous old men"

"It was our _duty!_ " Saya exclaimed, on the verge of tears "It wasn't easy, to none of us! And yet, we did it! It's only right to uphold our sacred duties, and atone for the Sin that our ancestor committed by murdering the Tentei, centuries ago!"

Compassion appeared in Shun eyes, completely catching her off guard.

"Oh, Saya...you poor, poor Saya. You only think this way because you were indoctrinated so. Let me ask you something...you look beautiful, right? I look beautiful. All of our sisters look beautiful. Isn't it a strange coincidence? Out of six users of the Sinful Fist, six have above-average looks. Has it ever occurred to you, the reason why we look so damn good!?"

Saya furrowed her brow: she couldn't fathom what he was getting at.

"You don't know, do you?" Shun sighed "I'm not surprised. Besides me, I think only Mai has realized it, by studying the human body and the way our training alters our physiology. Well, I'll tell you: it's the breathing techniques we are forced to perform since childhood. Performed for a few years before puberty, they allow for a more harmonius development of the body. And while this is true for many martial arts, it's expecially true for the Sinful Fist. Do you understand now? We were _bred_ to look good, like some kind of farm animal. Since childhood, we were raised to be more appetizing to customers"

Saya was speechless at the revelation, allowing Shun to go on.

"You can't see the truth. And the truth is, that the Tentei was no God: he was just lecherous man that deserved to die. Our Fist was born because of one Tentei's lust, who took a woman who failed the test for the Hokuto succession as his concubine. That woman was never meant to use Hokuto Shinken ever again, let alone corrupting it with new techinques aimed at pleasuring a man.

Don't you see? Our Fist was never meant to be born. Years later, one of the concubines murdered the Tentei...so what? For how long should we atone for the death of one pig? For how long innocent children will be raped, and forced to sell their bodies? I will not have it...I cannot have it! I will put an end to this wicked tradition once and for all: Saya...I'm the embodiment of a 1600 years old sadness!"

It took a few seconds for Saya to be able to speak again.

"Shun" she said "I cannot allow you to seal my Fist. I still believe in our tradition, in the Law of our Fist. That's why, I will stop you here and now. Just know that, if I fail, one day Kenshiro will most likely come back to these lands, and defeat you in my stead"

Shun clenched his teeth.

"Very well" he said, taking a fighting stance "Fight for tradition, then: I shall fight for change. As for Kenshiro...soon, I'll be able to defeat him too: the true Fist is born of Sadness, after all. And I've been carrying the Sadness: the sadness of every person I had to hurt in other to build a new world. But, no matter...go ahead. Use the _Will of the Goddess._ Let's see how good Yasmine has taught you"

A blue aura appeared all around Shun, as his muscles grew in size. All of the Royal Palace was shaken by his power, and some of the columns surrounding them collapsed with a loud sound.

But Saya wasn't intimidated: she took a squatting position, and put the palms of her hands in front of herself.

"I'm sorry, Shun" she muttered _"Hokuto Shinken Ougi: Megami no Ishi!"_

A white light started to glow all around her body; Shun's eyes widened, and his face was twisted by pain. He fell on his knees, and the blue aura around him disappeared.

"Very good" he commented, drooling from pain "Very good indeed...your _Megami no Ishi_ is just as powerful as the one the Mistress used...I feel my power being drained away. _But!_ "

It was an instant: with both hands, Shun hit two pressure points on his chest. Saya's eyes widened: for a second, she forgot about the _Megami no Ishi_ and took a step forward. Shun had just struck the _Jinchukyoku_ pressure points, ones of the most destructive tsubos in the entire human body: it was a suicidal move.

"Shun!" she exclaimed, with desperation in her voice "Do you plan to die?!"

The man's face and torso were now covered in throbbing veins; and yet, when he looked up to her, he was smiling.

"Die?!" he said "I'm very young, and I have a Kingdom to look after: I don't plan on dying for another fifty years!"

Under the eyes of a shocked Saya, he got back on his feet.

 _No way,_ she thought.

She resumed with the _Megami no Ishi._ But no matter how she tried, Shun didn't even seem to _feel_ it: he just stood there, with an arrogant smile on his face.

"It's no use. The _Will_ is not going to work anymore"

"But...how!? Don't tell me...that you actually belong to the Main Hokuto Bloodline?!"

Shun shook his head.

"It's true that there's no technique that can counter the _Will of the Goddess_ " he explained "But, that only means that no techinique had been discovered so far. I studied the human body and Hokuto Shinken more than anyone else...and reached my own conclusion. I theorized that the _Will_ could not impair my ki flow, if I brought its speed to the maximum limits. I figured out that if I managed to stimulate the Jinchukyoku pressure point with just the right amount of ki, I could activate them into producing non-lethal effects. That's why I trained in secret for so long: I was studing, and experimenting on my body, using increasing doses of ki. As you can see, I don't need to rely on some old, privileged lineage: I'll take what I want by using my brain instead"

Saya could not believe her eyes.

 _I'm now standing in front of the strongest man in a 1600 years old history,_ she thought.

"My muscles are pretty stiff and weakened now" Shun said "I'd say I've sacrificed more than 50% of my strength and speed...still, I think it's going to be more than enough to defeat you"

He moved a step towards her.

"You know, Saya: it was a mistake, coming to me by yourself. You would have stood a chance with your sisters. To tell you the truth, I had a chance to seal their Fists too, in Gehiko...but I lacked resolve. I see now, that if I really want to do it, I should start with you"

Saya was now trying very hard to not give in to panic. She could only take a defensive stance, as Shun charged foward. A violent exchange of blows followed.

"It's no use!" he yelled "Gou no Ken, Juu no Ken: I've mastered it all!"

Saya could only draw back, dodging and parrying each blow; then, she managed to retaliate with a circular kick to the head; Shun blocked it, but was pushed back a few meters by the force of impact.

"You're stronger than expected" he commented "I see...you must have been carrying the Sadness too. But...it's not enough!"

He charged at her again, thrusting his hand foward with a stabbing movement; Saya jumped up in the air to avoid it, but Shun jumped even higher, closing on her from above.

 _Tensho Hyakuretsu Ken?!_ Saya only had time to think, before Shun showered her with blows.

She managed to shield herself, but heavily landed on her back. Shun put on a smug smile; the smile soon died, as he saw Saya get back on her feet.

"Tougher than always, I see" he said "No matter. I'll end this right now"

He took a different stance: suddenly, multiple images of him appeared, starting to slide on the ground at high speed, forming broken lines that encircled Saya.

"The Mistress has kept this technique secret from us" he explained "but I was able to steal it from her on our last fight. _Hokuto Shinken Ougi: Shichisei Tenshin!_ "

All of his images closed in on Saya, coming from every direction. Her scream of pain filled the air, and blood spurted up towards the sky.

"No...n-no way..." Shun groaned.

He looked at Saya with widened eyes; she was hurt, since a lump of flesh had exploded on her left arm; she had brought her right hand to wound, and blood was gushing through her fingers. Still, she was smiling victoriously.

Shun could not move: Saya had managed to hit a pressure point on his belly, right below the sternum, paralyzing him.

"I see" he said "There's only one explanation for this...the Mistress has kept the Shichisei Tenshin hidden from me...but not from you. She taught you the technique, and how to properly counter it. Even from the grave, she keeps hindering me"

"It's over, Shun" Saya said, moving a step closer to him "If you move, your body will explode. Just stay still, and allow me to seal your Fist in a non-lethal manner"

"Don't be too proud" he reprimanded her "Had I not halved my speed and power, you would have never been able to counter my _Shichisei Tenshin_ , no matter what you had been taught. As for allowing you to seal my Fist..."

He clenched his teeth, his face growing red because of the strain; then, he moved a step forward.

" _Shun, stop!"_ Saya yelled, letting go of her wounded arm and stretching out a hand toward him.

Too late: blood erupted like a fountain from Shun's shoulders and back. He stuck both of his thumbs in points on his pectoral muscles, and the bleeding seemed to slow down: still, he was losing an incredible amount of blood. All of his naked torso was now painted red; even a vein on his left temple exploded.

And yet, Shun was still standing. With a crazed look in his eyes, his face twisted by pain, he took another step forward.

" _I will not die!"_ he roared, raising his chin with pride _"The people of this world are counting on me!"_

Even Saya instinctively moved a step bacwards, seeing that invincible God come closer, drenched in blood; then, Shun stopped, and lowered his gaze in disconcert: his right leg had stiffened up.

 _His mobility is impaired! I still have a chance!_ Saya told herself.

She started to run all around Shun at superhuman speed, in a circular pattern: she tried attacking his blind spot, but Shun quickly turned around and retaliated; Saya barely managed to jump backwards, dodging a punch that could have knocked her out.

 _From above!_ She realized. _There's no way he can dodge or counter properly!_

She jumped high in the air, bringing down her foot on his head like a warhammer. But Shun simply stretched his arms in front of himself, pointing his fingers at Saya like they were firearms.

"HOKUTO SHINKEN OUGI: TENHA KASSATSU!"

Rays of invisible ki went through Saya's body like spears, pushing her back; she managed to land on her feet, but as soon as she touched the ground, seven points on her back exploded, gushing blood.

 _Oh, no…_

The wounds were far from lethal – in fact, the bleeding was stopping by itself – but as she feared, she couldn't move her legs anymore. She tried with all of her might, but only ended up falling on her knees.

Shun smiled. Slowly but steadily, he started to get closer to her, dragging his stiffened up leg.

"You thought I would not catch you because of my reduced mobility?" he asked "I don't even need to catch my opponent to defeat it"

 _No way,_ Saya thought.

Defeat. There was no other way to define it: complete and utter defeat. She had failed.

 _I failed my sisters,_ she thought, as her heart filled with sorrow, _I failed Reiju_. _I failed every person who died because of Shun, hoping their death wouldn't be in vain. I failed every person who still lives and suffers in this Kingdom, crying out for a saviour._

Shun was now towering over her; he had a grave expression on his face.

"Please, forgive me if you can" he whispered, raising his fist "Farewell, Saya"

He brought his fist down. And something weird happened.

His punch had gone through Saya's head without hurting her, as if she were incorporeal; for a moment, her body seemed evanescent, like some sort of translucent figure. Then, it vanished.

 _What..._ he had time to think.

Then, his senses alerted him: he turned his head, as the ghastly figure of Saya approached him at high speed from the left, sliding on the ground. Acting by reflex, he put his weight on the paralyzed leg and tried to intercept her with a circular kick; but again, his attack went through her.

A second later, three points exploded on his chest, erupting blood.

 _My body can't..._

He started to fall backwards.

" _Shun!"_

Saya was standing next to him, corporeal again, with a terrified look on her face. She ran over to him and caught him in her arms before he touched the ground.

" _No no no"_ she said, her voice high-pitched from panic _"Don't you dare die on me!"_

She pressed a point on his back: the bleeding slowed down, but only slightly.

"It's...too late Saya" he said "I've lost...too much blood already..."

Saya's eyes were filling with tears.

"But how!?" she exclaimed "Why? You had won...I don't know what happened! For a moment, I felt like I was one with everything…I could feel the worms crawling in the Earth, and the birds flying in the sky. I could feel the ki flowing in every living person in this Palace!"

"That was...most likely...Hokuto Shinken ultimate technique: _Musou Tensei"_ Shun said "To think that you would acquire it...no, maybe you still haven't fully acquired it: maybe the Heavens allowed you to use it only once. But, why?" he muttered, with genuine sorrow in his voice "I have been trying to acquire it for so long...I was planning on using it to defeat Kenshiro. Haven't I been carrying the Sadness too? Could it be...that casting my compassion away was my downfall?"

"Shun" Saya uttered, as tears ran down her cheeks "When your arm passed through me...I could feel every bit of ki inside it: it was a non-lethal amount. You...you weren't trying to kill me after all, were you?"

"Of course not" Shun answered, with a warm smile "I could _never_ kill you. Not you, who I love more than anyone else...not my beloved sisters. My intention was to erase your memories, so that you may not pass down the Fist. Sure, you would have forgotten about me...and that would have torn me apart" he said, with tears appearing in his eyes "but still, I would have been okay with it...knowing that, even without your memories, you would have been able to live in my Kingdom...happy, safe, protected. Finally free from your _sacred duties"_

He averted his gaze, to look at the blue sky.

"Ah...it's broad daylight, and still I can see it, the Death Omen Star. It really is over for me. I don't care about dying...but Saya" he said, desperately bursting into tears "what will happen to you? What will happen to the people I had sworn to save? Will you be a slave to our Fist for the rest of your life? Will mankind keep living in this hellish world forever? Did all the people I killed die in vain? In the end, it was all for nothing..."

"No" Saya said, sobbing as hard as him "It wasn't all for nothing: because just now, your feelings reached me. Don't worry, Shun: I will be carrying your sadness too"

She leaned forward, and kissed him.

In that moment, Shun's heart stopped beating.

* * *

 _Three days later_

All five of the Hokuto women had gathered in the outskirts of Thorvesk; one could see the city walls from where they were. They were standing around a rectangle of loosen soil; a _cairn,_ a pile of stone fitted tightly together, had been erected in the middle of it, serving as a tombstone.

Olga was desperately sobbing, covering her face with her hands; Mai had an arm around her shoulders: despite being usually so composed, she now had watery eyes. Roxanne had undone her long braid in mourning, and was now standing silently, her eyes red and swollen from too much crying: she had spent most of those days alone in her room at Rumia's inn, too proud to let her sister see her in that state. Both Theresa and Saya had undone their ponytails, and their hairs were now calmly dancing in the gentle breeze.

"Reiju allowed us to bury you here, near the city that symbolized your dream" Saya said, looking at the _cairn_ "The city that you bleed so much and died for. It was only right for you to rest in this place, and not at the Temple you hated so much"

She cleared her throat, trying to overcome the lump that threatened to prevent her from speaking.

"You dreamed of a better world. Queen Reiju has decided to respect your feelings, and we all agreed to help her out"

Saya took a step back, allowing Reiju to come closer; she was dressed in white, elegant clothes, and wore a silver crown on her head; General Yoshimasa, back on his feet again, was standing next to her, with the usual giant sword on his back. Reiju had been crowned the day before, in front of Thorvesk's people, not late after Yoshimasa had retaken control of the army.

Reiju knelt before the _cairn,_ bowing her head.

"You are the man who murdered my father, and planned to rape me" she said "Still, you taught me a lot about what being a ruler means: I thank you for that. I'm going to treasure your teachings. I shall not discard all the work you did in Thorvesk: on the contrary, I will do my best to carry on with some of your projects, improving our economy, health care and infrastructures. Not only that: I have sent messengers to all the villages in a hundred miles wide area, proposing them to join Thorversk as a political entity. I've also sent messengers to propose alliances to faraway kingdoms. I'm not a conqueror, Shun: I cannot build a nation on blood and violence. I will choose the way of diplomacy instead: a much longer, harder and unsure way. Still, I want to cling to the hope that, deep inside each man, lies the desire to return to the civilisation we lost. It may be a faint hope, but...it's only thanks to hope that people are able to carry on. Rest in peace, Shun: I shall never forget you"

She got back on her feet, and moved a few steps away. Saya resumed talking.

"We have been discussing a lot these past days" she said "Discussing about how you despised our Fist, and why. And we finally reached an agreement: we have decided, to honour your memory, to stop upholding the tradition. We'll pass down our Fist, if we find a worthy girl...and we'll still be selling our bodies, if we feel like it...but we won't impose our sacred duties on anyone else, and we shall never inflict the _test_ on any of our students. You were right, Shun: there's no need to atone for the Sin any further. No young boy or girl will be forced to sell his body anymore. After all, the Will of the Heavens is for the rightful Heir of Hokuto Shinken to uphold. And if Kenshiro-dono will ever want to seal our Fists, we'll gladly submit to his will"

Saya knelt in front of the _cairn_ : she had a blue flower in her hands.

"Long ago, you gave me a cornflower, the first flower to bloom at the Devil's Twin Peaks after the war. You said it was a symbol of hope, and that I should have it. Now, flowers are blooming everywhere: the earth really is healing. I shall leave this to you, as you truly tried to become a symbol of hope, much more than I did"

She put the cornflower in the crevice between two stones, and put a third stone against it to keep it in place, so that wind may not blow it away.

"You can smile now, Shun" Saya said, as tears streamed down her face "You had been crying in your heart for so long, and we had no idea...but now, you did it! You've actually put an end to a 1600 years old sadness!"

Then, Saya leaned over and kissed the stones.

"Farewell...my love"

One by one, the Hokuto women approached the _cairn_ and kissed it, saying their final goodbyes to Shun, former King of Thorversk, Master of the Sinful Fist of the North Star.

* * *

They were coming back to Thorvesk's gates by foot.

"I don't know how to thank you all" Reiju was saying "Not only you saved my life: you made me a better person. Will you really be living in Thorvesk with me?"

"Well, we need to ensure the safety of this place now that Shun is gone, don't we?" Saya said "We can't just leave you like that. And besides, we really need a place to call home again: we've been traveling for too long"

"We'll all be living together again" Olga said, a faint smile finally appearing on her face "Sounds almost too good to be true"

"Also, if you want all the villages in the land to come under your rule, you'll need to offer them concrete protection" Theresa said, winking at her "Just send me to any place having problems with bandits: I will gladly take care of them"

"We will be taking out outer threats, but I guess our days of punishing criminals in Thorversk are over" Mai said "After all, the foundation of civilisation is the Law: we cannot kill and torture them on a whim anymore"

"No problem" Roxanne said, giving Reiju a friendly nudge "Just emit a decree that gives all the rapists to me, okay? I'll be sure to punish them properly"

"Roxanne, I don't think she can decide a death penalty by Hokuto Shinken" Saya said.

"Who knows" Reiju said with a smile "I cannot rule through terror like Shun...but a certain balance between harshness and mercy is needed, in order to keep the order. And certain crimes are so horrible, they deserve an appropriate punishment"

"I'm really starting to like you, girl" Roxanne said, hugging her "Ehm, I mean...Your Majesty"

"I really hope Zaria village joins us soon" Mai said, with a dreamy look on her face "I still need to go on that date with Jake. I'm pretty excited about that place with a gorgeous view he spoke of..."

In that moment, the roaring of motorbikes filled the air; a huge group of raiders appeared from behind a barren hill.

"Jeez, that's like, a hundred of them" Roxanne said.

"The news of Shun's death must have traveled fast" Saya sighed "They probably think the Kingdom is vulnerable right now, without a leader and with a disorganized army"

As if wanting to confirm what she just said, one of the thugs spoke through a loudhailer.

" _We know the King of Thorversk is dead! Now, we'll be the ones dictating law in this area!"_

"Villains!" Yoshimasa uttered, unsheating his giant sword.

"Put your weapon away, General" Saya said, stepping forward. She shaped her hair back into a ponytail, making it more suitable for fighting "We said we were going to protect this Kingdom, didn't we?"

The raiders, who were now very close to the city, finally noticed them.

" _Hey, look at those hot babes!"_ one of them yelled _"Let's get them!"_

Saya turned to look at her sisters.

"So, what do you girls say?" she asked, with a mischievous smile "Feel like having some fun?"

"You can bet on it" Theresa muttered, cracking her knuckles.

"Nice" Mai said with a big smile.

"I apologize for taking your lives" Olga whispered, clasping her hands and bowing her head.

"Alright, let's do this!" Roxanne cried out in excitement, raising her fist in the air.

The raiders were onto them. A few seconds later, a rain of blood and brain matter fell to the earth, as screams of pain and horror rose to the blue sky.

THE END

 **Authors's note: we are at the end at last. It has been a long journey. I wanted to thank all the people who supported and motivated me by leaving a review. Special thanks to Mad-Dan90, who has been reviewing my work since the very beginning: without his support, I would have probably ended up dropping this work in its early stages, due to the complete lack of feedback. Please, feel free to leave a review or PM me your feelings about this story. Till the next adventure!**


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